The strong involvement of China in backing new sanctions on North Korea seems to have changed the calculations for the rogue regime, Australia's foreign minister believes.
Julie Bishop says the world will know the sanctions are working when North Korea agrees to come back to the negotiating table.
Her US counterpart, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, has revealed he's been "back channelling" North Korea - or sending messages via non-conventional routes - in a bid to get them to that table.
"He indicated to me that part of his efforts to bring China into the collective strategy, to impose economic sanctions on North Korea, he was also back channelling ... North Korea to make it clear to them that the United States was prepared to talk," Ms Bishop told ABC TV on Sunday.
"The messages so far have been through the media - you know, Pyongyang news puts out a statement and the (US) President responds."
Mr Tillerson has been meeting Chinese leaders in Beijing and told reporters everyone would like the situation to calm down "I think the whole situation's a bit overheated right now," he said.
