North Korea talks:
China talks raise hopes for Trump summit
NORTH KOREAN leader Kim Jong Un has pledged his continuing commitment to denuclearisation ahead of his expected summit with US president Donald Trump during a meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping in a northern Chinese port city.
The two-day meeting in Dalian was the second between Mr Xi and Mr Kim in recent weeks, following the North Korean leader’s March trip to Beijing – his first since taking power six years ago.
Neither leader was quoted as directly referring to either the planned Trump meeting or Mr Kim’s summit with South Korean president Moon Jae-in late last month.
However, state broadcaster CCTV quoted Mr Xi as saying China “supports North Korea to stick to denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and supports North Korea and the US in solving the peninsula issue through dialogue and consultation”.
Mr Trump tweeted that he planned to speak with Mr Xi later in the day to discuss trade and North Korea, where he said “relationships and trust are building”.
Last night Mr Trump said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was en route to North Korea ahead of the president’s planned meeting with Mr Kim.
It is Mr Pompeo’s second known visit to the country. Mr Trump revealed last month that Mr Pompeo also met with Mr Kim over the Easter weekend.
Mr Trump said the time and date of his planned meeting with Mr Kim have now been agreed, but he has yet to reveal where or when it will happen.
Mr Trump broke the news while announcing his plans to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement.
Earlier, Mr Kim was quoted as telling Mr Xi that North Korea remains committed to denuclearisation and has no need to possess nuclear weapons if a “relevant party” drops its “hostile policy and security threats” against it, a clear reference to the United States. “I hope to build mutual trust with the US through dialogue,” Mr Kim was quoted as saying.
A political resolution of tensions on the peninsula and denuclearisation should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert, he said. The Trump administration has demanded that North Korea immediately commit to denuclearisation.
China is North Korea’s only major ally, although trade has plummeted in recent months as Beijing enforces United Nations economic sanctions.
I hope to build mutual trust with the US through dialogue. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s comment on the forthcoming meeting.