China affirms continuous efforts to reduce tensions with North Korea

(Baonghean.vn) - On June 21, China announced that it is making continuous efforts to ease tensions with North Korea, after US President Donald Trump said that Beijing was not successful in this regard.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the country is not the “focus and bottom line” of the issue on the Korean Peninsula, and Beijing has stepped up efforts to promote peace talks.

US President Donald Trump thanked China for its efforts on the North Korea issue. Photo: AP

“China has been making unremitting efforts to resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and we have played an important and constructive role. In short, our contributions are being recognized and our efforts are indispensable,” Geng Shuang said.

Mr. Geng said Beijing plays a “positive and constructive” role regarding the North Korea issue because it is a responsible member of the international community, and its actions are “not due to any pressure from other countries.”

US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: AFP

The statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry representative came after President Trump, on Twitter, said that although he appreciated the efforts of Chinese President Xi Jinping and China to help with the North Korea issue, “these efforts have not worked. At least I know China tried.” The tweet could be seen as a warning that the US would pursue unilateral action.

The tweet came a day after the death of Otto Warmbier – an American college student who returned home in a coma after 17 months of detention in North Korea – and ahead of the US-China strategic security dialogue.

Since taking office, President Trump has tried to persuade Beijing to put pressure on Pyongyang, China's ally, to curb its missile and nuclear programs./.

Lan Ha

(According to AFP)