The US warned China that it would redeploy forces in Asia if Beijing failed to rein in its ally North Korea, the New York Times reported yesterday, as Pyongyang bowed to pressure and agreed to crisis talks.

The paper quoted a senior administration official as saying US President Barack Obama’s warning had persuaded China — the North’s main diplomatic and economic backer — to take a harder line toward Pyongyang and opened the door to a resumption of inter-Korean talks, possibly next month.