US cancels visit to Pyongyang, sends warning to China
(Baonghean.vn) - Analysts say that US President Donald Trump's cancellation of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Pyongyang could further complicate denuclearization talks between North Korea and the US, and could affect South Korea's efforts to promote inter-Korean relations.
According to analysts, President Trump's decision is meant to put pressure on North Korea, forcing it to take more concrete steps to denuclearize as well as send a message to China.
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| Illustration photo. Photo: Yonhap |
“This is a sign that the negotiations between North Korea and the US are not going smoothly,” said Shin Beom-chul, an expert at the Asan Institute for International Studies. “President Trump may not feel the need to send Secretary Pompeo to North Korea, as there has not been any assurance that there is significant progress in North Korea’s denuclearization.”
However, according to Mr. Shin, Mr. Pompeo's cancellation of the visit may just be a negotiating tactic, not a shift in the US leader's North Korea policy. An example that can be mentioned is when President Trump canceled the US-North Korea summit in June, then announced that it would still go ahead a few days later.
“When North Korea makes concessions on denuclearization, negotiations between Pyongyang and the US can resume at any time. The US’s demands remain consistent, and it will be up to North Korea to push forward with denuclearization negotiations,” Shin said.
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| President Trump's focus may be on containing China. Photo: Getty |
According to Hong Min, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, President Trump's focus may be on containing China. "I think China is the main reason why President Trump canceled Secretary Pompeo's visit to Pyongyang, not North Korea or its lack of progress on denuclearization. President Trump wants to use the North Korean chess piece to put pressure on China, in the context of the escalating US-China trade war," the expert said.
Analysts say China has suffered more damage than the US in the trade war.
Professor Park Won-gon of Handong Global University commented that the cancellation of the US visit to Pyongyang will also put an additional burden on South Korean President Moon Jae-in when he visits North Korea next month.
“President Moon will still go to Pyongyang. North Korea will propose easing sanctions and expanding inter-Korean cooperation, but South Korea will find it difficult to accept this offer. During his upcoming visit to Pyongyang, I think President Moon should focus on finding ways to create a breakthrough in the stalled US-North Korea negotiations by preparing a detailed roadmap, including a timeframe for North Korea’s denuclearization,” said Professor Park.
