WORLD US has faith in missile pledge

US President Donald Trump believes North Korea will abide by its pledge to suspend missile tests while he prepares for a summit by May with the North’s leader, Kim Jong- un.

Trump noted in a tweet that North Korea had refrained from such tests since November and said Kim “has promised not to do so through our meetings”.

“I believe they will honour that commitment,” the President wrote. He later continued the optimistic tone while leading a rally for the Republican candidate in a special House race in western Pennsylvania.

When he mentioned Kim’s name, the crowd booed but Mr Trump responded: “No, it’s very positive ... no, after the meeting you may do that, but now we have to be very nice because let’s see what happens, let’s see what happens.”

Mr Trump ( pictured) shocked many inside and outside his administration last week when he told South Korean officials who had just returned from talks in North Korea that he would be willing to accept Kim’s meeting invitation.

Mr Trump also tweeted that China was pleased he was pursuing a diplomatic solution rather than “going with the ominous alternative” and that Japan was “very enthusiastic” about the agreed- to talks.

Mr Trump has spoken with both Chinese President Xi Jin- ping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe since the summit announcement, and said Mr Xi “appreciates that the US is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative”.

The US President had previously threatened North Korea with “fire and fury like the world has never seen”.

Mr Trump also said China, North Korea’s most important ally and trading partner, “continues to be helpful!”

He has repeatedly urged China to do more to pressure North Korea into abandoning its nuclear program.

In another tweet, Mr Trump said Mr Abe was “very enthusiastic about talks with North Korea” and that the two discussed how to narrow the US- Japan trade deficit.

Mr Trump wrote, “It will all work out!”

However, the President is leaving open the possibility of the talks failing, saying the summit could fizzle without an agreement or it could be “the greatest deal for the world”.