On Wednesday, two high-ranking US officials maintained that the United States and china hold a common view about North Korea’s nuclear threat. The statement comes a day after US President Donald Trump said in a tweet that China’s efforts on Pyongyang have not yielded the desired result.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters Wednesday after a meeting with Chinese diplomats that China understands that the United States sees North Korea as a foremost security threat. He added that the US restated to China that they have the whirling power to exert enormous diplomatic and economic pressure on Pyongyang if they actually want to put a stop to the growing security threat and escalation in the region.
Trump's comment on Chinese efforts
But President Trump said in a tweet Tuesday that the Chinese efforts have not helped matters.
US Secretary Of Defense Jim Mattis said he believes Trump’s position represents the view of the majority of Americans regarding the North Korean issue. He made the statement when asked about President Trump’s tweet by reporters after the meeting between the US and Chinese officials.
US and China's ties waxing stronger
On Wednesday, at a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, President Trump stated that ties between the United States and China were very strong and that he likes Chinese President Xi. He further added that the US would want more help from China with respect to North Korea, but that does not seem to be yielding the desired result.
Mattis said there is no way the United States can look at the happenings in North Korea and understanding anything. The secretary of defense was referring to the issue of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old US college student who died in a Cincinnati hospital Monday after being released from North Korean detention. He was in a vegetative state until his death.
North Korea on the agenda
He added that North Korea’s action was beyond the understanding of law and order, of humanity, and of responsibility towards the human person, and a total violation of the dignity of the human person.
The Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Defense counterpart Jim Mattis held closed-door meetings with the Chinese Councilor of State Yang Jiechi and the People’s Liberation Army Joint Staff General Fang Fenghui on Wednesday, deliberating on means of developing diplomatic momentum in a follow-up to the meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi in Mar-a-Largo in April.
