The New York Times says that North Korea must be one of the top items on the agenda when U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao meet next week in Washington.

The paper’s editorial also urged China to exert all its influence to lead the North back to the negotiating table, stressing that parties to the six-way nuclear talks should both use dialogue and sanctions.

The daily said that it also makes sense to talk to the North to test its intentions, so long as Washington and its allies go in with their eyes open.