US Defence Secretary, Jim Mattis, began talks with Chinese officials on Wednesday, focusing on ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme.

Mattis was received with a military ceremony by Chinese Defence Minister, Wei Fenghe, state broadcaster CGTN reported.

Wei said Mattis’ visit to China, the first by a defence secretary in U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, will usher in “healthy interactions’’ between the two militaries, CGTN said.

Mattis said, ahead of the visit, that he wanted to “go in and do a lot of listening.’’

The U.S. is seeking China’s help in denuclearising North Korea, following a summit earlier this month between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

In a visit to Beijing after the summit, U.S. State Secretary, Mike Pompeo, thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for “helping to bring North Korea to the negotiating table.’’

Pompeo also stressed that international sanctions against North Korea would not be lifted until it denuclearises in a way that is “complete, verifiable and irreversible.’’

China agreed, but it has also signalled that it favours quicker relief for Pyongyang.

Mattis’ visit comes at a time of heightened U.S.-China tensions regarding trade, with Washington about to enact punitive tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese imports, starting July 6.

Mattis is set to meet with Xi later on Wednesday.

He will also visit South Korea and Japan after leaving Beijing on Thursday. (Dpa/NAN)

– Jun. 27, 2018 @ 12:09 GMT |