Trump flays China trade with North Korea, casts doubt on cooperation

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump denounced China’s trade with North Korea on Wednesday and cast doubt on whether Beijing is working with Washington to counter the North Korean nuclear threat.

“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!” Trump said in a Twitter post.

Even before Pyongyang said on Tuesday it successfully test-launched US an intercontinental ballistic missile, Trump has recently suggested he was running out of patience with China’s modest steps to pressure North Korea and has been considering moving ahead on trade actions.

Analysts said the latest missile could put all of the US state of Alaska in range for the first time.

Trump posted the tweet shortly before leaving for Warsaw on his way to a G20 summit in Germany on Friday and Saturday.

During that summit, he will meet for the second time with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with whom he has expressed frustration for failing to use enough leverage to curb North Korea’s nuclear programme.

China is North Korea’s trading partner and ally.

Data released in April by Beijing showed China’s trade with North Korea grew 37.4 per cent in the first quarter this year from the same period in 2016, according to reports in the New York Times and Financial Times. largest