WASHINGTON: China has not done enough on the issue of North Korea for theUS, President Donald Trump has said but appreciated the “great chemistry”he shares with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
North Korea last year increased the pace of its missile programme. SinceFebruary, Pyongyang has fired off 23 missiles. On November 29, the NorthKorean leader said that his country had achieved full nuclear statehoodafter what he said was the successful test of a new missile capable ofstriking anywhere in the United States.
Fears of a catastrophic conflict between the US and North Korea spiked asthe leaders of the two nations taunted each other, with President DonaldTrump calling North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ‘Rocket Man’.
Trump has called on China to do more to resolve the North Korean nuclearissue.
“Not helpful enough, but they have been very helpful. Let’s put it thisway, they have done more for me than they ever have for any Americanpresident. They still haven?t done enough,” Trump was quoted as saying inThe Wall Street Journal.
“But they have done more for me than they have, by far, for any?I have avery good relationship with Xi. I like him. He likes me. We have a greatchemistry together. He has done far more for us than they ever have for anyAmerican president. With that being said, it?s not enough. They have to domore,” Trump insisted.
As a result of Chinese help so far, Trump said he has not been tough onChina as he would like to be.
“We have been much tougher on China, but not nearly as tough as I would be,but they are helping us a lot with North Korea, he said in response to aquestion.
“And you see in North Korea what’s happening with North Korea all of asudden. China?s been helping us a lot, so you can veer a little bitdifferently, but for the most part everything I have said I have done,” hesaid in response to a question on his electoral promise of being tough onChina.
North Korea, he said, is a big problem.
“It is a big problem, and they should not have left me with that problem.That should have been a problem that was solved by Obama, or Bush, orClinton or anybody, because the longer it went, the worse, the moredifficult the problem got,” he said.
Trump also said that he probably has a “very good relationship” with NorthKorean leader Kim Jong Un but did not confirm or deny if he had spoken tothe leader in Pyongyang.
“I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea.I have relationships with people, I think you people are surprised,” Trumpsaid.
“Just to be clear, you haven’t spoken to the North Korean leader, I meanwhen you say a relationship with Korea,” he was immediately asked.
“I don’t want to comment on it?I don?t want to comment, I?m not saying Ihave or I haven?t. But I just don?t?,” Trump responded.
The US president denied that delaying military exercises on the KoreanPeninsula for the Olympics sends the wrong message to the North Koreans,that he is in some way bending to them.