US calls on silent China to use its sway over Russia and North Korea

The U.S. and South Korea have called on China to use its influence over Russia and North Korea to prevent escalation after Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to Russia to aid Moscow's war against Ukraine. Beijing has so far stayed quiet.In a rare meeting earlier this week, three top U.S. diplomats met with China's ambassador to the United States to emphasize U.S. concerns and urge China to use its sway with North Korea to try to curtail the cooperation, according to a State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that the sides had a robust conversation just this week" and that China knows U.S. expectations are that they'll use the influence that they have to work to curb these activities."But I think this is a demand signal that's coming not just from us, but from countries around the world, he said at a news conference in Washington with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their South Korean counterparts.Liu Peng