President Donald Trump phoned Chinese President Xi Jinping in an effort to bring more joint pressure to bear on North Korea following its string of missile launches, taunts, and a powerful underground nuclear test.
The two men spoke on Saturday, a day before Trump mocked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as ‘Rocket Man’ in a tweet.
The quiet diplomacy involved coordination regarding new sanctions. According to the White House, the two men discussed North Korea’s ‘continued defiance of the international community and its efforts to destabilize Northeast Asia.’
The two leaders ‘committed to maximizing pressure on North Korea through vigorous enforcement of United Nations Security Council resolutions,’ according to the brief White House statement.
President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping in an effort to bring more joint pressure to bear on North Korea
That part of the statement referenced new UN sanctions meant to force the hermetic regime to back off its provocations and return to the negotiating table.
President Xi is not at the UN this week, where world leaders and their representatives are attending the annual meeting of the General Assembly.
But the issue of North Korea’s defiance of international pressure and sanctions is at the top of the agenda for many world leaders at the gathering. China joined in the latest sanctions applied against North Korea unanimously by the UN Security Council, although the effort got watered down to address China’s opposition to anything that would bring a collapse of the regime on its border.
President Donald Trump (R) welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) to the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, on April 6, 2017. The two men spoke by phone about North Korea on Saturday
Top Trump administration officials repeated over the weekend that the military option is on the table, and Trump said Friday he is ‘more confident than ever that our options in addressing this threat are both effective and overwhelming.’
The two men also discussed Trump’s upcoming visit to China, the nation’s Xinhua News Agency reported. The trip was first reported by DailyMail.com.
Donald Trump has taunted ‘Rocket Man’ Kim Jong-un about the ‘long gas lines forming in North Korea’ as he claims the UN sanctions on oil are beginning to bite
‘Xi said China and the United States share extensive common interests and have seen sound momentum of exchanges and cooperation in various areas at present,’ according to the agency.
‘The Chinese leader said he is happy to maintain communications with the U.S. leader on a regular basis over topics of mutual concern,’ it said.
Trump also spoke over the weekend with South Korean President Moon Jae-In on Saturday, The men vowed to exert ‘stronger pressure’ on the North, with Moon’s office warning that further provocation would put it on a ‘path of collapse.’
Trump has also not ruled out a military option, which could leave millions of people in the South Korean capital – and 28,500 US soldiers stationed in the South – vulnerable to potential retaliatory attack.
Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-In also spoke by phone on Saturday and vowed to exert ‘stronger pressure’ on the North, with Moon’s office warning that further provocation would put it on a ‘path of collapse.’ Pictured: The planes over South Korea today
Big beast: A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber drops an MK-84 bomb during the live-fire training mission. The show of force comes after North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test and launched a missile over Japan
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has launched a trio of missiles in recent weeks and tested a bomb that was its most powerful to date (file photo)
Trump’s National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said the US would ‘have to prepare all options’ if sanctions prove insufficient to stop the North’s weapons drive.
The president also taunted ‘Rocket Man’ Kim Jong-un about the ‘long gas lines forming in North Korea’ as he claimed UN sanctions on oil are beginning to bite.
Trump tweeted the jibe at the dictator after he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed the escalating threat posed by North Korea Saturday night.
‘I spoke with President Moon of South Korea last night,’ he tweeted. ‘Asked him how Rocket Man is doing. Long gas lines forming in North Korea. Too bad!’
State media on Saturday quoted Kim Jong-un as saying that North Korea’s final goal ‘is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the U.S. and make the U.S. rulers dare not talk about military option’ for the North.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) waves to the press as he walks with US President Donald Trump at the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, April 7, 2017
In this picture taken on September 13, 2017 Chinese President Xi Jinping is seen during a welcome ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People during a welcome ceremony for Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah (not seen) in Beijing
Trump tweeted the jibe at the dictator after he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed the escalating threat posed by North Korea Saturday night. Trump also spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinpeng Saturday, the White House said
Hit: A bomb explodes on a target at the training ground in South Korea. The US increasing pressure on the dictatorship, with UN Ambassador Nikki Haley warning it could be ‘destroyed’ if it continues to test missiles
Alarmed by North Korea’s advancing weapons programs, many conservatives in South Korea have called for the reintroduction of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in the South. But the liberal-leaning government of President Moon Jae-in said it has no intention of requesting that the U.S. bring back such weapons.
South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo told lawmakers on Monday that it is ‘not proper’ to reintroduce U.S. nuclear weapons. He previously said the idea should be ‘deeply considered’ by the allies, inflaming already-heated debate on the issue.