China’s president, Xi Jinping, has called on President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, to exercise restraint as a US aircraft carrier group headed towards the waters off the Korean peninsula.

Tensions remain high after a war of words between the US and North Korea over the past month, The United States ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to mounting concern over the North's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.

The North Korea government has then responded saying that it was combat-ready to strike down the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might.In the second call between Trump and Xi in less than two weeks, Xi urged all sides to temper their actions.