Despite Pence’s assertion that ‘the era of strategic patience is over, ‘ the White House press secretary indicated a willingness ‘to continue to work with China, in particular, to help find a way forward’
Less than a day after U. S. Vice President Mike Pence declared “the era of strategic patience is over” regarding North Korea, the White House press secretary indicated tolerance for a bit more patience.
“I think that we’re going to continue to work with China in particular to help find a way forward, ” spokesman Sean Spicer said at Monday’s daily briefing when asked about the vice president’s remark.
The press secretary characterized “the era of strategic patience” as an Obama administration policy of “basically wait and see” that is not prudent for the United States. But, he added, as a result of the recent talks between U. S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the current administration is giving Beijing time to use its economic and political influence on Pyongyang.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes a question during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, April 17, 2017.
The vice president, speaking to reporters Monday near the Korean Demilitarized Zone, said “President Trump has made it clear that the patience of the United States and our allies in this region has run out and we want to see change. We want to see North Korea abandon its reckless path of the development of nuclear weapons; and, also, its continual use and testing of ballistic missiles is unacceptable.”
The comments came a day after North Korea tried and failed to launch a missile from its submarine base at Sinpo.
WATCH: ‘The Era of Strategic Patience is Over, ‘ Pence Says
At a hastily called news conference Monday in New York, North Korea’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Kim In Ryong, accused the United States of pushing the Korean peninsula “to the brink of a war, ” warning that a “thermo-nuclear war may break out at any moment on the peninsula.
