Xi Reaches Out To Trump Over North Korea

"); jQuery("#212 h3").html("

Related News Programmes

"); });

2018-03-09 HKT 16:35

Share this story

facebook

  • Xi reaches out to Trump over North Korea

President Xi Jinping has talked to his US counterpart, Donald Trump, welcoming news of a planned summit with North Korea and also discussed Sino-US relations, the official news agency reported on Friday.

During a visit to the White House on Thursday, South Korean National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong announced the first ever meeting between a US president and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, which he said would take place by the end of May.

Xinhua reported that Xi told Trump by telephone that he appreciates the US president's desire to resolve the issue politically, and hoped that the United States and North Korea will start talks as soon as possible.

Xinhua quoted Xi as saying that he hoped that all parties concerned would avoid doing anything which might affect or interfere with the improving situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The news agency added that that Xi also told Trump that China and the United States should focus on cooperation, control differences, promote win-win economic cooperation, and push for new advancement of bilateral relations.

Under pressure from Trump, Beijing has backed a series of United Nations sanctions against North Korea, sending relations between the Cold War-era allies to a new low.

For its part, China has long pushed for the US to meet North Korea, saying the two sides need to iron out their disagreements face to face.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also hailed the proposed meeting.

"We do hope that this meeting is going to take place," Lavrov said after talks at the African Union's headquarters in the Ethiopian capital. "Certainly, it is required to normalise the situation around the Korean peninsula."

After visiting Washington, Chung will head to China and Russia.

Japan, a key regional ally, also hailed the announcement. (Additional reporting by AFP)

Last updated: 2018-03-10 HKT 01:13

RECENT NEWS

Tycoon Sits China's University Exams For 27th Time

Among the millions of fresh-faced high schoolers sitting the nation's dreaded "gaokao" college entrance exam on Wednesda... Read more

China's First Home-grown Large Cruise Liner Undocks

The first large cruise liner developed by China completed its undocking in Shanghai on Tuesday, marking its complete tra... Read more

Chinese, US Diplomats Hold 'frank' Talks In Beijing

Meetings between senior mainland and US officials in China this week struck an upbeat chord, with both sides agreeing to... Read more

China's Cruise Industry Set To Make Waves Again

China's cruise industry, suspended for more than three years due to the pandemic, is expected to resume operations in th... Read more

Toll From Deadly Landslide Rises To 19

All 19 people caught in a landslide in Sichuan province on Sunday have been confirmed dead, state media reported, announ... Read more

'Nato-like Alliance Disastrous For Asia-Pacific'

Defence Minister Li Shangfu on Sunday told the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore that any moves to establ... Read more