U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has stressed that the U.S. will not provide food aid to North Korea with a mere promise from Pyongyang on denuclearization.

Speaking before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Kerry said the U.S. is not going to reward the North and "come to the table and, get into some food deal, without some pretty ironclad concept" of how denuclearization efforts will go forward.

Kerry was apparently emphasizing that the North must show substantial and significant action, and not words, toward denuclearization.

Kerry also said that he thinks it's fair to say that without China, North Korea would collapse and so it is important for the U.S. to work with China.