US, China 'agree on' DPRK sanctions

However, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying cited Foreign Minister Wang's remarks during Wednesday’s joint news conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry. Wang had said that Beijing and Washington made important progress in the new resolution against the DPRK and are "looking at the possibility of reaching agreement in the near future".

But Beijing reiterated that the sanctions will not solve the DPRK nuclear issue, and that related parties should return to negotiations.

The agreement was reached as Wang was in Washington for a three-day visit. It was the third meeting between Wang and Kerry within a month after the DPRK conducted a nuclear test in January.

Wang also met with US President Barack Obama on Wednesday.

Obama underscored his interest in building a durable, constructive and productive US-China relationship. The US leader also said he looked forward to welcoming President Xi Jinping to a March 31-April 1 nuclear security summit in Washington and "working together toward its success", according to news statements from both China and the US.

Zuo Xiying, an international studies specialist at the National Academy of Development and Strategy of Renmin University of China, said the agreements reached between the two countries are conducive to the buildup of strategic trust between the two.

Shi Yinhong, a professor of US studies at Renmin University of China in Beijing, said the frequent mutual visits by Wang and Kerry are apparently driven by unexpected changes on the Korean Peninsula and recent rising tensions in the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, a senior US diplomat will make a two-day visit to South Korea this week for talks about the DPRK nuclear and missile programs, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.