U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on China to play a bigger role in helping to resolve provocations by North Korea.

Clinton said Friday in Washington that China, as a country with unique ties to North Korea and as chair of the six-party talks, has a special role to play in helping to shape North Korea’s behavior.

She said the U.S. had told China that a failure to respond clearly to the sinking of a South Korean military vessel last March might embolden North Korea to continue on a dangerous course, and that the North’s attack on South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island soon followed.

Clinton added that momentum is being built in support of North-South dialogue that respects the legitimate concerns of South Korea in regards to the provocations and that can set the stage for meaningful talks on implementing the commitment made by North Korea in 2005 to irreversibly end its nuclear program.

Clinton’s remarks come one week ahead of a summit in Washington between Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Barack Obama.