Tillerson urges cooperation on N.Korea

“The United States holds a joint military exercise every year to push the situation on the Korean Peninsula to a serious situation, and that is the source of the super tough measures we must take”, Pak Myong Ho told reporters in a rare briefing at the North Korean Embassy in the Chinese capital.

The United States has hoped to enlist more support from China, North Korea’s main economic ally, in reining in Pyongyang’s launch of ballistic missiles and nuclear tests.

Turkey’s foreign minister says U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to visit the country on March 30. During his meeting today with Tillerson, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is acting president after Park Geun-hye was removed from office, must strongly request the US secretary dissuade China from making retaliatory trade moves over security matters. And I think, as you indicated in the exchange of our two leaders, the U.S. -Japan alliance remains the cornerstone to peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region.

He also said that the USA will continue to work closely with Japan and South Korea in countering the North Korean threat, but also extended an olive branch to the country’s people.

As a result, they said, speaking on the condition of anonymity, Tillerson is trying to keep a low profile, which is his natural instinct, and seeking a way to make his case on foreign policy without being drawn into losing battles. The U.S. Department of State says too it wants “to create a level playing field for our trade and investment interests”. Without China’s help, such business activities would be almost impossible.

While Trump’s rhetoric on China may risk increasing tensions with Beijing, the Obama administration left bilateral ties in relatively positive shape, despite a shaky start after Xi took office. China fears the system will peek into its own secretive country. Tillerson, however, stressed that cooperation with Japan and South Korea was “critical”. Tillerson is likely to highlight the importance of trilateral cooperation to effectively counter North Korean threats, a factor that was highlighted in Tokyo on Thursday during a press conference with his Japanese counterpart. They may discuss mutual defense against threats from the north as well as the prospects for THAAD.

“There will be no solution to the Northern Korean crisis that doesn’t involve a diplomatic compromise with Beijing”, said Ashley Townshend, research fellow at the US studies center at the University of Sydney. The article he cites covers attacks from outside parties. The original goal of the Thaad battery was to safeguard the USA military in South Korea.

On Saturday, Tillerson would be visiting Beijing where, apart from North Korea, trade will also be a key topic of discussion.