US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that there is a “good chance” that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will give up nuclear weapons, but cautioned that maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained on Pyongyang.
His comments came as Kim completed a secretive and unprecedented visit to Beijing during which he met Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday and said that he is committed to denuclearisation. The White House said China briefed the administration on Kim’s unannounced visit to Beijing, and stressed that the US policy of maximum pressure on North Korea is working. Xi reached out to Trump, after his meeting with Kim, with a personal message, the White House said.
“For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility. Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong-un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. look forward to our meeting!” Trump tweeted.
Tensions temporarily abated in the Korean Peninsula recently over the North Korea’s nuclear programme following which Trump accepted an invitation from Kim to have a summit meeting between the two.
The invitation was communicated to him through the South Koreans, who held a meeting with the North Korean leaders early this month. The date of the meeting has not been announced yet.