As tensions soared in Korean peninsula over the sinking of the South Korean naval vessel by North Korea, US stepped up pressure on China to back international sanctions against its ally, with Beijing expressing its readiness to work with Washington on the crisis.
Agreeing that maintaining stability on the peninsula was "critical" the US secretary of state Hillary Clinton at the end of two-days of high level talks in Beijing said that peace and security in the region is a shared responsibility between the two countries.
Clinton said, the Obama administration expects to work closely with China to "chalk out effective measures" to the sinking of the warship, which has been blamed on North Korea.
Outlining, the Chinese response vice-foreign minister Cui Tiankai said "We're ready to work together with the US and other parties and will continue to stay in close touch on the situation in North Korea."
The dialogue between the two countries on the Korean incident came as tensions mounted between Seoul and Pyongyang
after a team of international investigators concluded that
North Korea was to blame for the sinking of the warship.
This diplomacy came as South Korea resumed its propaganda broadcast into the North after a six year halt with Pyongyang threatening that its 1.2 million strong military was bracing for war.
The understanding between Washington and Beijing came
as the two countries resumed their high level military to
military contact with a top American commander saying that
ties between the two countries were lagging and dealings
needed "maturity and farsightedness."
The US Pacific Commander Admiral Robert Willard told top People's Liberation Army Commanders it was regretful that
military ties were not keeping pace with other engagements
between the two nations.
The meeting was the first high-ranking military talks between the two sides since Beijing suspended all such exchanges in protest over US Arms sales to Taiwan.
The Korean tiff is expected to figure prominently in the talks.
