Focus of talks with US: Respect, ties, Korean situation

US Vice-President Mike Pence visits the National Cemetery in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday.KIM HONG-JI/REUTERS

Beijing and Washington should "manage and control their differences on the basis on mutual respect" and push for greater ties, State Councilor Yang Jiechi said in a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday.

In the conversation, they referred to the first official meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump on April 6 and 7 in Florida.

Yang said the meeting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate set a constructive tone and charted a course for the development of China-US ties. He said the two leaders had a good conversation by phone afterward.

Tillerson said the US expects to strengthen communication and to prepare for high-level exchanges and dialogues to maintain and expand ties.

Yang and Tillerson also exchanged views on the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Syria.

Also on Sunday, US Vice-President Mike Pence said the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's "provocation"－a failed missile launch just hours before Pence was to arrive in the Republic of Korea－underscores the risks faced by US and ROK service members.

A DPRK missile exploded during launch on Sunday, US and ROK officials said.

After arriving in Seoul, the ROK capital, to start a 10-day trip to Asia on Sunday, Pence placed a wreath at the Seoul National Cemetery and then worshipped with military personnel at an Easter church service. About 28,500 US troops are stationed in the ROK.

During a fellowship meal after the service, he said tensions on the Korean Peninsula had put into sharp focus the importance of the joint US-ROK mission.

"This morning's provocation from the North is just the latest reminder of the risks each one of you face every day in the defense of the freedom of the people of South Korea and the defense of America in this part of the world," Pence said.

Pence told the military members he had spoken twice with Trump during the day.

Tensions escalated on the Korean Peninsula in early March following the successful launches of four missiles by the DPRK prompted the US military to reroute an aircraft carrier group back to the peninsula after completing joint exercises with ROK forces.

The US vice-president is set to meet on Monday with ROK Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn, who is serving as acting president following the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye.

Hwang and Pence are expected to talk about the DPRK issues amid growing tensions on the peninsula.

Xinhua and AP contributed to this story.