The U.S. State Department has hinted that the United States may seek cooperation with China regarding North Korean issues ahead of a senior official's visit to China. 

Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday during a press briefing that the U.S. seeks cooperation with China when their interests align and North Korea is one of those areas where there is "at least some alignment."

The remarks came as Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is set to visit China Sunday and Monday after finishing up visits to Japan, South Korea and Mongolia.

Regarding the China trip, Price said the U.S. expects that the totality of the bilateral relationship will be on the agenda, including competitive elements, adversarial elements and potentially cooperative elements. 

The spokesperson said the United States will continue to seek to improve human rights conditions in the North, saying that it remains concerned about the humanitarian situation. 

He also reaffirmed that the U.S. has no plan to provide COVID-19 vaccines to North Korea.