U.S. ambassador to China nominee Gary Locke says Beijing must apply more pressure on North Korea.

Locke, who currently serves as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, made the remark to the Senate panel considering his nomination on Thursday.

He said if he gets to become ambassador, he would boost efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and get Beijing to “do more” to get Pyongyang to vow to cease provocations.

Locke added that he would clearly and firmly advocate for upholding universal rights in China as he stressed that the protection and the promotion of liberty and freedom are fundamental tenets of U.S. foreign policy.