US and China talk North Korea
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North Korea was high on the agenda at a security dialogue between the US and China held in Washington. President Donald Trump’s administration stressed security concerns that were common to both countries, and asked China to use its leverage with Pyongyang to halt its nuclear and missle programmes.
At a press conference given with Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said:
“We both call for complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. And we call on the DPRK to halt its illegal nuclear weapons program and its ballistic missile test, as stipulated in the UN Security Council resolutions.”
Trump and Xi
Meanwhile, Donald Trump told a rally in Iowa that he “really liked” President Xi. Just a day earlier he’d commented on the failure of Chinese efforts to persuade North Korea to rein in its weapons programme.
While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out. At least I know China tried!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 20, 2017
He took to twitter to note that the strategy “hadn’t worked out” but announced that at least he could be certain that “China tried”.
Death of Otto Warmbier
US-North Korean relations took a dive at the death of Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old American college student released in a coma by Pyongyang after 18 months of detention for attempting to steal a propaganda banner.
The U.S. once again condemns the brutality of the North Korean regime as we mourn its latest victim. Video: https://t.co/Rvm11ZbPk7
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 20, 2017