White House expresses optimism on Xi-Kim talk

The White House on Wednesday expressed cautious optimism about the first visit to China by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-un, an event that some analysts said has underscored China’s role in the settlement of the nuclear issue on the peninsula.

“We’re going to be cautiously optimistic, but we feel like things are moving in the right direction and the meeting yesterday was a good indication that the maximum pressure campaign has been working,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday.

During his unofficial visit to Beijing from Sunday to Wednesday, Kim met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who said that China calls on all parties to support the improvement of inter-Korean ties and take concrete efforts to facilitate peace talks.

China will continue to play a constructive role on the issue and work with all parties, including the DPRK, toward the thaw of the situation on the peninsula, Xi said, according to Xinhua.

Kim said it is his country’s “consistent stand to be committed to denuclearization on the peninsula” and the DPRK is willing to have dialogue with the United States and hold a summit of the two countries.

The reported commitment by the DPRK to denuclearization was welcomed by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

... We feel like things are moving in the right direction ... ” Sarah Sanders, White House spokeswoman