US, China disagree on talks with North Korea

BEIJING: China is calling for an early resumption of six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program - a position at odds with the United States.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman told reporters on Tuesday that it's imperative to resume the talks, after reports that North Korea has built a new uranium enrichment facility.

The spokesman's comments came as the US envoy to the nuclear talks, Stephen Bosworth, arrived in Beijing for discussions about North Korea.

His visit comes as tensions spike on the Korean peninsula, with North Korea shooting artillery onto a populated South Korean island.

Earlier in Tokyo, Bosworth said talks would not be held while North Korea worked on the new nuclear facility.