朝核挑釁白熱化 美國務卿訪華

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson embarks Thursday on his second trip to China, seeking Beijing's cooperation on a “maximum pressure” campaign against North Korea's nuclear aggression, amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

In a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on Thursday, the top U.S. diplomat is seeking China's cooperation to curb North Korea's nuclear provocations, and paving the way for President Donald Trump's first visit to China in November.

“We'll continue our discussions on a number of other issues that are important, and certainly North Korea will be on the table for discussion,” said Tillerson prior to the first round of U.S.-China Social and Cultural Dialogue that's aimed at promoting people-to-people ties.

The U.S. is conferring closely with Chinese officials on Beijing's commitment to curbing imports of North Korean coal, iron, iron ore, lead and lead ore, and seafood.

If fully implemented, the ban on those items could substantially reduce North Korea's revenues this year. North Korea had earned $1.5 billion from the export of these items to China in 2016, according to the State Department.

China is North Korea's number one trade partner. Washington says bringing China on board is key to cutting off Pyongyang's ability to earn hard currency.

Trade and investment also are high on the agenda in Tillerson's visit to Beijing.

“We're working with China to rebalance our trade and our lopsided relationship in that realm, and ensure that China provides fair treatment to U.S. companies in ways that create U.S. jobs,” said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert on Thursday.朝鮮半島緊張局勢不斷升級之際，美國國務卿蒂勒森星期四啓程，二次出訪中國，尋求北京的合作，對朝鮮的核挑釁施加“最大的壓力”。

蒂勒森星期四會見了中國國務院副總理劉延東，尋求中方的合作，壓制朝鮮的核挑釁，爲川普總統11月份的首次中國之行鋪平道路。

蒂勒森在參加首輪美中社會與人文對話前說：“我們將繼續討論其它一系列重要問題，朝鮮問題當然也在議題之列。”

美國與中國官員密切協商，確保中國限制從朝鮮進口煤炭、鋼鐵、鐵礦、鉛和鉛礦，以及海鮮。

如果全面落實的話，針對這些產品的禁令將大幅度降低朝鮮今年的收入。美國國務院的數字顯示，朝鮮2016年向中國出口上述產品的總收入是15億美元。

中國是朝鮮最大的貿易伙伴。華盛頓認爲，爭取中國的合作是切斷平壤外匯來源的關鍵。

蒂勒森此次訪華的其它重要議題是貿易和投資。

國務院發言人諾爾特星期四說：“我們跟中國一起，讓一邊倒的美中貿易關係恢復平衡，確保中國公平對待美國公司，爲美國創造就業。”