China backs second Trump-Kim summit

Beijing: China on Friday said it supports the proposed second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un next year.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Beijing had always supported engagements and contacts between the US and North Korea to secure peace on the Korean peninsula, Efe news reported.

“We hope these high-level engagements will help advance the improvement of the situation on the Korean peninsula as well as promote the political settlement process of the Korean peninsula issue,” she said.

The first summit between Trump and Kim was held on June 12 in Singapore in which the latter agreed to work towards the denuclearization of the country and the US President guaranteed the regime’s security.

“We also support the two sides in taking measures to implement the consensus between their leaders,” the Chinese spokesperson said.

Hua said she did not know the details about reports published on Thursday that Kim had visited a weapons test site where a “cutting-edge” strategic weapon had been tested.

“I just saw relevant reports today. I’m not aware of the specifics. Recently, with the efforts of all parties, positive changes have taken place in the situation on Korean peninsula. We hope this positive momentum could be maintained,” she added.

After meeting South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Singapore on Thursday, Pence announced the second Trump-Kim meeting would be held next year.

“We believe that the summit will likely occur after the first of the year, but the when and where of that is still being worked out,” Pence had said.

Pence lauded Chinese efforts on the North Korean issue and added that Trump would discuss the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping when the two meet in Buenos Aires later in November during the G20 summit.

[source_without_link]IANS[/source_without_link]