China urged to use vital influence on North Korea

Leaders say diplomacy is still vital in resolving weapons dispute

Theresa May and US President Donald Trump have urged China to use all its influence to ensure North Korea ends its “illegal acts” as the crisis over the rogue state’s latest nuclear test continued to dominate international affairs.

The Prime Minister and Mr Trump discussed the situation by telephone and agreed to put more economic pressure on the Kim Jong-un regime.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister and the President agreed on the key role which China has to play and that it was important they used all the leverage they had to ensure North Korea stopped conducting these illegal acts so we could ensure the security and safety of nations in the region.

“Mrs May said Britain would work with the US and international partners to continue to exert economic pressure on North Korea through further measures, including sanctions.

“The Prime Minister noted the importance of the UN Security Council continuing to present a strong and unified international voice by reaching swift agreement on new measures.

“The Prime Minister said she would also work with EU leaders on further measures the EU could take to pressure the North Korean regime.”

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also told MPs China needed to try and end the “grave crisis”.

He said: “China, which accounts for 90% of North Korea’s overseas trade, has a unique ability to influence the regime and the House can take heart from the fact that Beijing voted in favour of the latest sanctions resolution and condemned Pyongyang’s actions. I call on China to use all of its leverage to ensure a peaceful settlement of this grave crisis.”

Mr Johnson said Pyongyang’s latest nuclear test was a matter of global concern. “At noon on Sunday, local time, North Korea tested the most powerful nuclear device ever detonated in the history of the regime’s quest for an illegal arsenal.

“The regime claimed to have exploded a hydrogen bomb capable of being delivered on an intercontinental ballistic missile. We should treat that claim with scepticism but the House must be under no illusion that this latest test marks another perilous advance in North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.”

In a tweet, Mr Trump said: “I am allowing Japan and South Korea to buy a substantially increased amount of highly sophisticated military equipment from the United States.”

The PM also intends to telephone French president Emmanuel Macron for talks on the crisis.

AP. Picture: An image distributed by the North Korean government, showing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at an undisclosed location. It said he inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile.