Beijing — War must not be allowed to break out on the Korean peninsula and the issue must be resolved through talks, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of the danger of "sleepwalking" into conflict. Xi made his comments to visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in just days after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered to begin direct talks with North Korea without pre-conditions. But the White House said on Wednesday that no negotiations could be held until North Korea improved its behaviour. The White House has declined to say whether President Donald Trump, who has taken a tougher rhetorical line towards North Korea, approved Tillerson’s overture. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tillerson’s offer of direct contacts with North Korea was "a very good signal", while warning that a US strike on the North would have catastrophic consequences. North Korea tested its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missi...
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