U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met his Chinese counterpart Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday (April 13) at the start of his two day trip to the nation.<br/> <br />Kerry will meet China's top leaders in an effort to persuade them to exert pressure on North Korea to scale back its belligerent rhetoric and, eventually, return to nuclear talks.<br/> <br />Travelling to Beijing for the first time as secretary of state, Kerry made no secret of his desire to see China take a more activist stance toward North Korea, which in recent weeks has threatened nuclear war against the United States.<br/> <br />As the North's main trading partner, financial backer and the closest thing it has to a diplomatic ally, China has a unique ability to use its leverage against the impoverished, isolated state, Kerry said in the South Korean capital Seoul late on Friday.<br/> <br />He is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang during his visit.<br/> <br />Kerry is schedule to leave for Tokyo on Sunday
