US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill has praised China for its role in pressuring North Korea after the latter's dramatic entry into the nuclear club. (File/AFP)   Oct. 29 - US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill has praised China for its role in pressuring North Korea after the latter's dramatic entry into the nuclear club.

 

Mr Hill said that working with China was crucial to resolving tensions in the region caused by North Korea's successful test of a nuclear weapon.

 

The United Nations Security Council had shown a "remarkable display of unity" in its unanimous decision, made within five days, to impose sanctions on North Korea, he said.

 

"A key member of that whole effort in the Security Council was ... China," Mr Hill told ABC television.

 

"They're very concerned about what their neighbour has been doing.

 

"After all, North Korea depends on China for their daily bread, their daily amount of fuel, and here they are defying China.

 

"So I think it was a big step for China, and I think that is one of the key issues as we go forward - how to work closely with China."

 

Mr Hill said North Korea's nuclear test was an attempt to give itself a super weapon to atone for years of military decline and a lack of technological progress.

 

Mr Hill said there was a risk North Korea would conduct further nuclear tests.

 

But Mr Hill would not be drawn on whether the US would then consider military action.

 

"If we have a situation where North Korean-produced weapons of mass destruction or materials for weapons of mass destruction were to get into the hands of other state actors or non-state actors ... this would be a very, very big issue for us and, frankly, for everybody," he said.