Rice said she and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had an "extensive discussion" on Iran during wide-ranging talks in Beijing.

At a press conference afterwards, Rice touted "the work that we are doing in the UN Security Council, to work towards a resolution that will demonstrate to Iran that it should not continue to defy the international community."

Washington is the foremost advocate of tough new sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear programme.

China, however, has consistently called for a negotiated end to the impasse, in which the United States and other nations are demanding Iran cease the enrichment of uranium which they fear could be used to build a nuclear weapon.

"We believe we should continue to adopt a dual-track approach," Yang said.

"At the end of the day, the results can only be achieved by peaceful negotiation."

The United States and other major powers seeking new sanctions want the 15-member Security Council to adopt a resolution soon, a US State Department spokesman said Monday.

Iran insists its nuclear programme exists for civilian energy purposes.

The new sanctions push comes after the UN atomic watchdog said recently it could still not confirm if the Iranian atomic drive was peaceful.

Rice is in Beijing as part of a three-country Asian swing aimed at training pressure on North Korea to honour commitments under a six-nation nuclear disarmament agreement reached last year.

She arrived in Beijing from Seoul on Tuesday morning, and flies to Japan on Wednesday.

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