Trump blames China as North Korea talks reach impasse

DONALD TRUMP has accused China of undermining US talks with North Korea, which have hit an impasse in recent weeks over slow progress on denuclearisation.

In a series of tweets, the US president also asserted that there is “no reason at this time” to spend money on war games with South Korea, but warned that if they resumed, they would be “far bigger than ever before”.

Mr Trump had halted the joint Ussouth Korea military exercises after he met with Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, at a June summit in Singapore, calling them “provocative”.

But after weeks of tension between Washington and Pyongyang about the North’s perceived reluctance to dismantle its nuclear weapons programme, James Mattis, the US defence secretary, said that the drills might continue.

Since the camaraderie between Mr Trump and Kim at the June summit, talks have stalled over Pyongyang’s failure to meet US expectations on denuclearisation and Washington’s refusal to meet the North’s demands to officially end the Korean War of 195053. A planned trip by Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, to Pyongyang this week was cancelled last weekend.

But Mr Trump’s tweets appear to place the blame on China, claiming that “North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government”. He added: “At the same time, we also know that China is providing North Korea with considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. This is not helpful!”

♦ Nato said yesterday it will consider a proposal to name its new headquarters in Brussels in honour of John Mccain, the late US politician and navy veteran.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, George Robertson and Javier Solana, the former Nato secretaries general, wrote to The Times, saying Mr Mccain’s life and work symbolised “this alliance, and the enduring benefits of American global leadership”.