U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has urged North Korea to first halt its missile tests if it wants to talk with the U.S.
 
While visiting Manila for the ASEAN Regional Forum, Tillerson told reporters on Monday that stopping missile launches would be the first and strongest signal the North could give that it is prepared for talks with the U.S.
 
International news outlets quoted the U.S. secretary of state as saying that he is willing to sit down together with North Korea to discuss the future if conditions are met.
 
Tillerson also said that the U.S. has "other means of communication" open to North Korea if the regime wants to express to the U.S. a desire to talk. But he did not specify what they are.
 
The remarks are seen as a response to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi’s call for the resumption of dialogue with the North.
 
The Chinese foreign minister said in their meeting on Sunday that sanctions alone cannot resolve the North Korean missile and nuclear problem.
 

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