China won't confirm US claim of new pressure on North Korea

BEIJING (AP) - China's foreign ministry on Friday refused to confirm or deny U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's assertion that Beijing has threatened to impose unilateral sanctions on North Korea if it conducts further nuclear tests. Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang repeatedly avoided giving a direct answer when asked about the matter at a daily press briefing. Tillerson said Thursday that China told the U.S. it had informed North Korea China would respond to a test by "taking sanctions actions on their own." China wants North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program, but has opposed unilateral sanctions imposed without a U.N.