US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis underscores diplomacy in North Korea crisis

BRUSSELS: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said Thursday that the US supports solving the North Korean nuclear crisis diplomatically, after President Donald Trump warned that "time is quickly running out".

"This is a diplomatically led and certainly an economic sanctions reinforced effort to either isolate them and reduce their economic situation or they can come to the negotiating table," Mattis told reporters at a NATO summit. 

"Everything we do is inside that diplomatic framework."

On a trip to Beijing on Thursday, Trump prodded Chinese leader Xi Jinping to work fast to help resolve the North Korea crisis. 

"We must act fast. And hopefully China will act faster and more effectively on this problem than anyone," Trump said.