Trump takes tougher line over N Korea
President on the attack as South Korea and US carry out exercises in response to Pyongyang missile test
Donald Trump criticised China for failing to work with the US to rein in North Korea, signalling a harder line in his approach to the nation’s nuclear ambitions. “Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40 per cent in the first quarter. So much for China working with us,” he tweeted.
DONALD TRUMP criticised China yesterday for failing to work with the United States to rein in North Korea, signalling a harder line in his approach to the rogue state’s nuclear ambitions.
In the wake of North Korea’s test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Tuesday, an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, currently chaired by China, was held last night.
The US warned it was prepared to use its “considerable military forces” on North Korea “if we must”.
Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, said that North Korea’s actions were “quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution”.
She said America would propose new UN sanctions on North Korea “in the coming days” and warned Washington was prepared to cut off trade with countries trading with North Korea in violation of UN resolutions.
Russia criticised the test but said the option of considering military measures “should be excluded”.
The US carried out joint missile exercises yesterday with the South Korean military, demonstrating their ability to target the North Korean leadership in a precision strike.
Mr Trump had fostered his relationship with China’s President Xi Jinping during a summit in April at Mar-a-lago, his Florida retreat, and he previously expressed confidence in China’s ability to rein in its neighbour.
North Korea conducts about 90 per cent of its trade through China.
But after this week’s ICBM test Mr Trump expressed his frustration with China on Twitter. He wrote: “Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40 per cent in the first quarter. So much for China working with us – but we had to give it a try!” Mr Trump and Mr Xi will meet for the second time at the G20 summit which opens in Hamburg tomorrow.
Mr Trump’s comments appeared to refer to data released by Beijing in April that showed trade up 37.4 per cent in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2016.
In a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-sisi, Mr Trump urged all countries to “stop hosting North Korean guest workers and stop providing economic or military benefits to North Korea”, the White House said. There are an estimated 50,000 North Korean workers abroad earning money for their government. The vast majority are in China and Russia.
On Tuesday, US Independence Day, North Korea announced the successful test of its Hwasong-14 missile, which US experts later said could put Alaska within reach of a nuclear strike.
Pyongyang’s state news agency released pictures of leader Kim Jong-un grinning and punching the air as he “feasted his eyes” on the missile,
‘So much for China working with us – but we had to give it a try!’
which he declared “a gift to the American b-------”.
Mr Kim reportedly said that the missile was “as handsome as a good-looking boy” and the “final step” in his country’s nuclear ambitions, urging his scientists to keep sending “gift packages to the Yankees”.
The country’s leader also made clear North Korea’s determination to “demonstrate its mettle to the US” and he vowed never to negotiate over its nuclear weapons programme.