Trump Increases Pressure on China as North Korean Threat Looms

This image made from video of an undated still image broadcasted in a news bulletin on Tue
KRT via AP Video
Ben Kew

President Donald Trump increased the pressure on China over the looming threat from North Korea on Saturday, accusing them of doing “nothing” to help ease escalating tensions.

“I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk,” he wrote on Twiter. “We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!”

Trump’s comments follow after North Korea successfully tested another intercontinental ballistic missile into Japan’s territorial waters. It was the second successful missile test this month.

On Sunday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley claimed that the U.S. would not seek an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council.

“There is no point in having an emergency session if it produces nothing of consequence,” Haley said a statement Sunday afternoon. “An additional Security Council resolution that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value. In fact, it is worse than nothing, but it sends the message to the North Korean dictator that the international community is unwilling to seriously challenge him.”

In June, Trump expressed disappointment with Chinese efforts to contain North Korea, having previously promised the Chinese would do more to de-escalate tensions.

“While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out,” he wrote on Twitter, following the death of American hostage Otto Warmbier. “At least I know China tried!”

Trump’s criticism comes despite a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in April in which he claimed China would do more to contain the North Korean threat.

“Look, I’ve been talking about China for years,” he told Fox News host Martha MacCallum during an interview. “Now, I speak nicely about China because I really do believe they’re trying to help out with respect to North Korea.”

He also addressed reports of North Korea launching missiles in May, asserting that North Korea had shown the Chinese “great disrespect” and that China was “trying hard” to get them to stop.

In April, China positioned 150,000 troops along their much larger border with North Korea last week, as well as sending a fleet of fully-loaded cargo ships destined for North Korea back home.

However, the Trump administration remains deeply frustrated with the lack of Chinese engagement on the issue. This month, the Trump administration prepared plans to impose sanctions on small Chinese banks dealing with Pyongyang, as well as “shell” companies with links to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

You can follow Ben Kew on Facebook, on Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart.com.

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