Secretary of State Rex Tillerson renewed US pleas to China on Thursday to cut off oil to North Korea to bring it to the negotiating table over its nuclear and missile programs.

Tillerson said "the Chinese are doing a lot," but added, "We do think that they can do more with the oil."

He said the United States was urging Beijing to "restrain" oil shipments to Pyongyang, "not cut it off completely."

"The most effective tool the last time the North Koreans came to the table," he said, "was cutting the oil off."