One of the key discussion points at the CICA foreign ministers meeting in Beijing is the ongoing tension on the Korean Peninsula. The latest news from there is that the DPRK has announced that its ruling party will hold its 7th Congress in the nation's capital on May 6th, the first in 36 years.

Meanwhile, its southern neighbor, the Republic of Korea, has said the North could conduct a nuclear test at any time and its own military was preparing for such an eventuality.

The United States said it is working to defend itself and its allies against any potential threats from the DPRK, and it would explore options other than sanctions in response to the DPRK's continued missile tests.

"I think it's pretty clear that, you know, as North Korea continues to make decisions that we believe are counterproductive that we've got to also continue to look at what our options are in terms of response, and both one, to ensure the security and safety of our allies and friends and protect the peninsula, the security of the peninsula, but also to make every effort to to convince North Korea to come back to serious discussions about its program," said Mark Toner, US State Department spokesman.