US seeks Asian unity to curb North Korea
DONALD Trump and America’s Asian allies have sought consensus on how to counter what the US president called the “menace” of North Korea after its testlaunch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
As he met Chinese president Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, Mr Trump said: “Something has to be done about it.”
In a separate meeting with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, the US president said the two countries were tackling “the problem and menace of North Korea”.
After the meeting with Mr Abe, the White House said the US was “prepared to use the full range of capabilities” in defence of Japan.
Mr Trump and Mr Abe had committed, the White House said, “to redoubling their efforts to bring all nations together to show North Korea that there are consequences for its threatening and unlawful actions”.
The Trump administration has tried to pressure Beijing to rein in North Korea, a major trading partner, to halt Kim Jong Un’s development of nuclear weapons before they have the ability to threaten the US mainland.
Mr Trump has voiced his frustration in recent days that China has not done more, suggesting he may be moving on.
But during his meeting, Mr Trump told Mr Xi: “I appreciate the things that you have done relative to the very substantial problem that we all face in North Korea.”
Mr Abe noted that the security situation in the Asia Pacific region has become “increasingly severe” due to North Korea’s push to develop its ballistic missile and nuclear programme.
The Japanese leader said he wanted to “demonstrate the robust partnership as well as the bonds” between Japan and the US on the issue.
North Korea’s successful test launch of an ICBM was a major milestone in its long-term effort to build a missile that could carry a nuclear warhead to attack the United States.
The issue was a frequent topic of discussion at the summit, and the White House said earlier that the US, South Korea and Japan were pressing for additional measures against North Korea to demonstrate the “serious consequences” for its latest provocations.