The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff says that China’s proposal for dialogue is insufficient to ease rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Admiral Mike Mullen made the remarks in a forum on U.S.-China relations hosted by the Center for American Progress on Tuesday, following the North’s artillery attack on South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island last week.

Mullen called on China to place greater pressure on North Korea, saying that Beijing can exercise considerable influence on Pyongyang and has the responsibility to dissuade its long-time ally from making provocations.

Mullen said that China’s proposal for dialogue cannot replace concrete actions by North Korea.

China proposed an early resumption of the six-way nuclear talks five days after North Korea’s shelling of the South Korean island on November 23rd.