US, China discuss measures to counter North Korea threat

The US and China have agreed on a constructive bilateral relationship to address the threat posed by North Korea due to its repeated ballistic missile tests despite a UN ban.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday spoke to his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi over phone and discussed the the importance of a constructive bilateral relationship, State Department Acting Spokesman Mark Toner said.

"The two sides agreed on the need to address the threat that North Korea poses to regional stability," he said in a readout of the phone call.

The two leaders also discussed economics, trade, and potential cooperation on counter terrorism, law enforcement and transnational crime, Toner said.

The development comes after US and Japan urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and cautioned Pyongyang not to take any further "provocative actions".

China has also begun a suspending all coal imports from North Korea for the rest of the year.

The ban is in line with UN Security Council sanctions imposed in November 2016 in response to North Korea's fifth nuclear test in August last year.