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Tillerson Says North Korea Tensions At 'Dangerous Level'


U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Seoul on March 17
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Seoul on March 17

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says tensions on the Korean Peninsula have reached a "dangerous level" and pledged that Washington would work together with China to prevent conflict in the region.

Tillerson made the remarks on March 18 in Beijing, his final stop in his East Asia tour that has been dominated by concerns over North Korea and the threat posed by its nuclear and ballistic missiles program.

"I think we share a common view and a sense that tensions in the peninsula are quite high right now and that things have reached a rather dangerous level," Tillerson said after talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

On March 17, Tillerson said military action is "an option on the table" if the threat posed by Pyongyang increases.

President Donald Trump tweeted that North Korea was "behaving very badly." Trump added that Beijing, Pyongyang’s main ally, had done "little to help."

During his two-day trip, Tillerson is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and top officials.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters

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