On the highest-stakes stop of his Asia tour, President Trump will visit China for the first time Wednesday as he seeks communist Beijing’s cooperation to control nuclear North Korea and to slash the “embarrassing” U. S. trade deficit.
On the highest-stakes stop of his Asia tour, President Trump will visit China for the first time Wednesday as he seeks communist Beijing ’s cooperation to control nuclear North Korea and to slash the “embarrassing” U. S. trade deficit.
Mr. Trump arrives in Beijing to deal with a Chinese president, Xi Jinping, who is at the height of his power. The Communist Party Congress gave Mr. Xi another five-year term two weeks ago and didn’t name a successor.
High on the two leaders’ agenda is how to control the North Korean regime of Kim Jong-un, which tested a nuclear weapon in September and has conducted at least 15 missile launches this year in violation of U. N. resolutions.
Mr. Trump is expected to try to persuade Mr. Xi to pressure North Korea more with steps such as limits on oil exports, coal imports and financial transactions.
“President Xi has been very helpful. We’ll find out how helpful soon,” Mr. Trump said during a visit in South Korea.
During his stop in Seoul, Mr. Trump toned down his “fire and fury” rhetoric about Pyongyang, saying he sees hope for North Korea to come back to the negotiating table.
“I really believe it makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and make a deal that’s good for the people of North Korea,” Mr. Trump said at a news conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
He added, “I do see some movement,” but declined to elaborate.
In 2009 North Korea walked out of six-party talks involving China, the U. S., North and South Korea, Japan and Russia.
