After the nuclear-armed state's deadly artillery barrage on a South Korean island, Republicans demanded more pressure on Beijing from the White House, which has already had limited results in pressing China on its currency.

"Two decades worth of attempts to appease this North Korean regime have failed, and further attempts to do so will meet with the same result," said Senator John McCain, the defeated 2008 Republican presidential candidate.

"The Chinese government has perhaps the most influence on North Korea, and for the sake of regional security and stability, I urge China to play a more direct and responsible role in changing North Korea's reckless behavior."

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the incoming Republican chair of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committee, blasted Obama for being "too weak" on North Korea, and also had harsh words for Beijing.

"China, which wields significant influence over North Korea, must stop enabling the regime and join responsible nations in sending an unequivocal message to Pyongyang: abandon your aggressive agenda now," she said.

The committee's current Democratic chairman also singled out Beijing, which US observers see as negligent in using diplomatic influence on North Korea as one of the isolated state's few economic partners.

"I especially urge China to play a more active role in persuading North Korea to stop its belligerence," congressman Howard Berman said.

"China should immediately suspend economic and energy assistance to show Pyongyang that its aggression has consequences."

Republican Senator Sam Brownback, an outspoken critic of human rights violations in North Korea, was more scathing.

"China should be embarrassed that its policy with North Korea is allowing the east Asian region to become destabilized."

Tuesday's congressional reaction was likely calculated as much to hike pressure on the Obama administration for a robust response to North Korea's behavior as motivated by any expectation that it would mould Chinese policy.

But the administration found itself in a delicate situation, with few obvious options to respond to Pyongyang's assault that would not inflame a highly dangerous situation.

The administration was already under pressure over revelations about Pyongyang's nuclear program, with apparent confirmation at the weekend from a US scientist that it had an advanced uranium enrichment plant.

Any attempt to further isolate and censure North Korea through the UN Security Council would require China's acquiescence as a permanent member, so a sharp administration critique of Beijing may prove counterproductive.

US policymakers must also confront the fact -- as a recent attempt to challenge Chinese currency policy showed at the G20 summit -- that Washington's current diplomatic and political leverage over China is limited.

Also, China's overriding goal may be ensuring stability in the North Korean regime during a leadership transition, rather than sharing US and South Korean concern over Pyongyang's military posture and nuclear program.

Publicly, at least, there was no sign of more US pressure on China over Pyongyang Tuesday, as the administration pledged to work slowly through the six-party process, hosted by Beijing, to tackle the latest "provocation."

"I think that's really, frankly, the best way ... by presenting a unified, coherent front to North Korea, to make them aware of their isolation," said Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman.

A senior US official did note that Beijing had a "relationship with North Korea that could be constructive, so we're committed to working with them."

Stephen Bosworth, the US envoy on North Korea in Beijing, said he discussed the assault on the island with Chinese officials and both sides wanted to see "restraint."

The latest North Korean military action follows the sinking of the South Korean navy ship Cheonan in March, which Washington and its allies blamed on Pyongyang.

But Bruce Klingner, a former CIA expert on North Korea now with the conservative Heritage Foundation think-tank, told reporters that China was "part of the problem rather than the solution."

"One of the things that President Obama needs to do is press China to act in a responsible manner ... and to use the leverage that Beijing has with Pyongyang to get them to abide by their denuclearization commitment," he said.

earlier related report
North Korean artillery strike alarms world powers
Washington (AFP) Nov 23, 2010 - World powers reacted with alarm Tuesday after North Korea rained artillery shells onto South Korea, but the United States said it was too early to consider a military response.

The attack killed two South Korean marines in one of the most serious border incidents since the 1950-1953 war, causing staff to wake US President Barack Obama before dawn as fears arose of a return to full-scale conflict.

The United States vowed in a powerfully worded statement that it would defend its ally South Korea but said no military action was yet planned and no additional US forces had been deployed to the region as a result.

"We're still monitoring the situation and talking with our allies," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan told reporters, adding that Washington was "mindful" of which actions might exacerbate tensions on the Korean peninsula.

"At this point it's premature to say that we're considering any action," he said.

After dozens of shells struck, setting homes ablaze, South Korean troops fired back with cannon and the government convened in an underground war room and scrambled air force jets, officials said.

Obama was briefed during his daily classified intelligence update but left on a planned trip.

He would speak by telephone with South Korea's President Lee Myung-Bak but there were no immediate plans for him to make an on-camera statement, White House officials told reporters.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-Young, while US envoy on North Korea Stephen Bosworth said he and officials from regional player China agreed on the need for restraint.

China, the reclusive communist North Korean regime's only major ally, is seen as the only state that has any influence on unpredictable Pyongyang, which said Seoul fired first in Tuesday's cross-border artillery duel.

Beijing reacted saying it was "imperative" that stalled six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's atomic ambitions be restarted as soon as possible. The talks involve both Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia.

North Korea abandoned the forum in April 2009, a month before its second nuclear test, and announced in September last year it had reached the final stage of enriching uranium.

"We hope the relevant parties do more to contribute to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," added Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan ordered his government to prepare for any eventuality.

"I ordered (ministers) to make preparations so that we can react firmly, should any unexpected event occur," Kan told reporters after an emergency meeting of cabinet members and senior officials.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for "immediate restraint" and said any differences between the two Koreas "should be resolved by peaceful means and dialogue".

Ban is "deeply concerned by the escalation of tension on the Korean peninsula caused by today's artillery attack" by the North, a statement from his office said.

However no country had yet requested a meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the attack, diplomats said.

Condemnation of Pyongyang's action also came from Australia, several European nations, Russia, Taiwan and the NATO alliance.

"Such unprovoked attacks will only lead to further tensions on the Korean peninsula," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said.

Spain described the incident as "extremely serious" but commended the "attitude of moderation" shown by the government of South Korea, a foreign ministry statement said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of "colossal danger" from Korean tensions. "This could degenerate into military actions," he said.

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