John Kerry to press China over North Korea

US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in China where he is expected to urge Beijing to use its influence to rein in North Korea, BBC reports.

Ahead of the visit, Mr Kerry said that a policy of denuclearisation shared by the US and China had to have "teeth".

Mr Kerry's four-day tour of Asia comes amid speculation that North Korea is preparing for a missile launch.

The US said there was no evidence North Korea could deploy a nuclear-armed missile, contradicting a leaked report.

North Korea has reportedly moved at least two Musudan ballistic missiles to its east coast.

A flurry of warlike statements from Pyongyang has prompted speculation that it might launch a missile - possibly on 15 April, when the country marks the 101st birthday of the nation's founder and former leader, Kim Il-sung.

The North says it has also been angered by joint US-South Korean military exercises.

Though North Korean rhetoric has been more bellicose than usual, analysts say it fits a long-standing pattern, and may be intended to boost the popularity of Kim Jong Un, who came to power last year.