Carrier group heads for Korean waters as Trump calls leaders

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed in a telephone conversation on Monday to closely coordinate on North Korea's security threats and demand it refrain from any provocative acts.

China strongly opposes actions that violate resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, Xi said, adding China hopes that the parties concerned will exercise restraint and avoid actions that aggravate tensions on the Peninsula.

"The only way to realize denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties".

The weekend saw mercury rise on the Korean peninsula when North Korea threatened to sink a United States aircraft carrier conducting drills in the region.

While the USA has dispatched what Trump called an "armada" of ships to the region, including an aircraft carrier, US officials have told The Associated Press that the administration doesn't intend to militarily respond to a North Korean nuclear or missile test.

Two Japanese destroyers have joined the carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific, and South Korea said on Monday it was also in talks about holding joint naval exercises.

In a statement released late Friday, North Korea's Foreign Ministry accused Trump of driving the region into an "extremely unsafe phase" with his sending of the aircraft carrier and said the North was ready to stand up against any kind of threated posed by the United States.

The phone call, which took place on Monday morning Beijing time, came as South Korean officials warned there is a chance that the North will conduct a nuclear test or a maiden intercontinental missile launch around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday. South Korea has said it is in discussions with the United States navy on holding joint military exercises.

North Korea will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday.

The Pentagon called on the Pyongyang government to "refrain from provocative, destabilising actions and rhetoric" and return to "serious talks" with the global community about it's nuclear ambitions.

Mr Trump has pressed Mr Xi to exert greater pressure against North Korea, given China's status as the country's sole economic lifeline and major ally.

Earlier, Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed over the phone to maintain close contact with the USA, on the issue.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said the call between the two presidents was the latest manifestation of their close communication, which was good for both of their countries and the world.

The U.S. government has not specified where the carrier strike group is, but U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive "within days".

While Trump has dispatched what he called an "armada" of ships to the region, including an aircraft carrier, US officials have told The Associated Press that the administration doesn't intend to militarily respond to a North Korean nuclear or missile test.

Adding to the heightened tension, North Korea detained a USA citizen on Saturday as he attempted to leave the country.

North Korea analyst Woo Su-keun at Donghua University in Shanghai said the Trump administration's increased threat of military force has been effective in convincing the leadership in Beijing to take stronger measures to prevent a deadly conflict that could draw the region into war.

However, the group said it was unclear whether the site was in a "tactical pause" before another test or was carrying out normal operations.