Rice urges strong steps on Zimbabwe

Beijing, China: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday urged China and other powers to support strong steps against Zimbabwe.

China's China's foreign minister, however, was non-committal on possible UN-authorised sanctions.

"It is really now time for the international community to act strongly, but we are consulting about the measures that might be taken," Rice said in China.

"It makes sense to deny the government of Zimbabwe the means to conduct violence against its own people," she added.

Zimbabwe has been among the international hotspots up for discussion during Rice's tour through Asia, along with Iran and North Korea.

US President George W. Bush has called for sanctions and said he would ask for UN action against what he called Zimbabwe's illegitimate government.