The comments by Mattis, during the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, show how Donald Trump’s administration is looking to balance working with China to restrain North Korea’s advancing missile and nuclear programmes while dealing with Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea.
Trump has actively courted support from Chinese president Xi Jinping to restrain North Korea, raising concern among Asian allies that Washington might allow China a more free rein elsewhere in the region.
Mattis said the threat from North Korea was “clear and present” and that Pyongyang had increased its pace of pursuing nuclear weapons.
The United States has struggled to slow North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, which have become a security priority given Pyongyang’s vow to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland.
