Trump’s ‘absurd DPRK logic’ derided
CHINA yesterday derided the “irresponsible and absurd logic” of the United States after President Donald Trump accused Beijing of making Washington’s relationship with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea more difficult.
“A lot of people, like me, feel that the US is first in the world when it comes to twisting the truth, and irresponsible and absurd logic,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a press briefing in Beijing.
“This logic is not easily understood by all. We hope the US can play a positive and constructive role in settling the issue just like the Chinese. To solve the problem, it should look at itself instead of shifting blame,” Hua added.
Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said: “China makes it much more difficult in terms of our relationship with North Korea.
“Part of the North Korea problem is caused by the trade disputes with China.”
But he insisted that his ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping were “great” and that he had a “fantastic relationship” with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, whom he met in Singapore in June.
With trade issues roiling ties between the two countries, China insisted yesterday that they can only be resolved through talks as equals.
“The only correct choice in resolving trade friction between China and the US is through talks based on sincerity and equality,” commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng said at a briefing.
“Whatever repressive measures the US adopts, China will firmly and steadily push forward reform and opening at its own pace.”
Some Chinese firms and foreign companies in China have been affected by the US tariffs and are working to mitigate the impact, Gao said, without elaborating.
“We are confident that foreign trade will maintain steady momentum ... and will roll out targeted policies to safeguard the legitimate rights of all firms in China, including foreign-invested firms,” Gao added.
In the meantime, US goods trade deficit widened sharply in July as exports of agricultural products tumbled, indicating trade could be a drag on growth in the third quarter.
On Wednesday, Trump also spoke on the subject of Korean military exercises, which the US suspended as a “good faith” measure following his summit with Kim. Trump said “there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint US-South Korea war games” though added that these could resume if the need arose.
It came a day after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the Pentagon was not planning to suspend any more military drills, before appearing to backtrack on Wednesday by insisting “no decisions” had been made.
In June, Trump and Kim vowed to work toward the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” although their joint statement was short on details for how that might be achieved.
Efforts stalled several weeks ago, and last week, Trump ordered Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to cancel a planned trip to Pyongyang.
Pompeo said on Tuesday that Washington remains ready to engage “when it is clear that Chairman Kim stands ready to deliver on the commitments that he made at the Singapore summit to President Trump to completely denuclearize North Korea.”
US news site Vox reported that Trump at June’s summit pledged to sign a declaration ending the Korean War, and now the two countries remain deadlocked over who will follow through on their commitment first.
On Wednesday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters that Washington believes “denuclearization has to take place before we get to other parts,” confirming that included such a declaration.