Kerry presses China on North Korea, South China Sea

BEIJING – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in China to push Chinese officials to do more to rein in North Korea's nuclear activities and urge them to decrease tensions over disputed parts of the South China Sea.

Kerry is wrapping up an eight-day, around-the-world diplomatic mission in Beijing on Wednesday. He is meeting with senior Chinese officials to press them to take a firmer stance in demanding that North Korea end nuclear testing. China is North Korea's main link to the outside world, and American officials say Beijing isn't doing enough to persuade North Korea to return to disarmament talks.

Kerry will also be calling for China to halt land reclamation and construction in disputed areas of the South China Sea, which have alarmed its smaller neighbors.