US National Security Adviser puts Beijing’s cooperation down to Trump’s pledge to take military action against Pyongyang
US President Donald Trump’s top security adviser lauded efforts by China to close ranks with Washington in isolating North Korea and downplayed a potential spat with Seoul over a missile defence system the US military is deploying in South Korea. US National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster’s expressions of confidence in, and willingness to cooperate with, China and South Korea in the escalating standoff in Northeast Asia follow a ballistic missile test by North Korea’s military on Saturday. McMaster told Fox News on Sunday that China’s cooperation was as a result of Trump’s pledge to take military action against North Korea if Beijing didn’ t start to apply more pressure by enforcing existing sanctions. The top adviser added that he expects China and all countries to step up efforts to isolate Pyongyang, in line with comments made by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday, hours before North Korea’s most recent missile test. “We do see China starting to do something. We’ ve seen it in Chinese public statements; we’ ve seen it in the Chinese press”, McMaster said. “You see it in the more strident and stringent enforcement of existing UN sanctions.
