US working with China on N-Korea: State Dept official

Washington: The United States is working with China to help North Koreans understand the importance of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, a State Department official has said. “We agree with China on the goal to denuclearise North Korea. We’re working closely with China to ensure that North Korea understands that they need to choose the path of denuclearisation, or instead to face increased isolation,” the State Department spokesman, Patrick Ventrell, told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday. [caption id=“attachment_765993” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A North Korea security official. AP[/caption] “We have put in place a robust sanctions program to target and impede North Korea’s WMD (weapons of mass destruction) and ballistic missile programs. We welcome steps by the international community, including China, to fully implement these sanctions,” Ventrell said in response to a question. Welcoming recent Chinese steps on North Korea, the US official said the country has a “very special” influence on Pyongyang. “We continue to urge them to use that influence to help get North Korea to make better decisions,” he added. PTI