PM swipe at ‘criminal’ N. Korea

ISLAMIC terrorism and how to control North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will be the focus of talks when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets leaders of the US, Philippines and China today.

After a series of successful meetings at the APEC conference in Vietnam, Mr Turnbull will again meet US President Donald Trump for in-depth bilateral talks, before meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

Top of the agenda will be discussions on how to rein in Mr Kim and the spread of Islamic State terrorism, particularly in the Philippines.

Last night, immediately after arriving in Manila, Mr Turnbull met Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte to discuss the threat of terrorism.

It is not known whether he raised the subject of Mr Duterte’s death squads, which have killed thousands of people in the Philippines since he won office last year.

“I will urge world leaders to implement meaningful, practical measures to bring North Korea to its senses and prevent the spread of terrorism,” Mr Turnbull said.

“A key focus of my advocacy at the East Asian Summit will be on preventing illicit financing that enables the sustains the criminal North Korean regime and Islamist terrorist groups. They use the money to spread their propa- ganda and fund their crimes.”

After meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Vietnam, the Prime Minister was at pains to stress China was as frustrated with North Korea’s conduct.

But he said China needed to continue to tighten the economic sanctions, and ensure North Korea did not have access to funds sourced from territories such as Hong Kong.

“If we cut their funding, we cut their capacity to hurt and harm. We must limit their funding to limit their reach,” Mr Turnbull said.

“We’ve got to see it really as a criminal operation. It’s vitally important all financial and economic sanctions. are enforced.”