North Korean Leader's Visit to China Ahead of Meeting with US President

Reports on Tuesday, May 7, from Chinese and North Korean media indicate that Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has traveled to China and met with Xi Jinping, the President of China. This is the second meeting between senior officials from North Korea and China in the past two months. The leaders met in the coastal city of Dalian. This meeting comes ahead of Kim Jong Un's historic meeting with Donald Trump, the President of the United States, scheduled for this month. It has been reported that Kim Jong Un's visit to China focused on coordinating efforts to achieve a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and establishing lasting peace. The official Chinese news agency, Xinhua, quoted Kim Jong Un as saying, "As long as all parties abandon hostile policies and security threats, North Korea does not need nuclear weapons, and disarmament can be achieved." The North Korean leader added that this disarmament would be "ongoing and transparent" and that direct negotiations between the US and North Korea could lay the foundation for mutual trust. Chinese media also published photos of Kim Jong Un walking with the Chinese President. Xinhua reported that China supports North Korea's new policy "to achieve disarmament and begin economic development." On Tuesday, Donald Trump tweeted that he is set to speak with the President of China by phone. He added, "The main priority of our discussion is trade, which will lead to many good things, and North Korea and the relationship and trust we are building." Last week, Donald Trump stated that the time and place for the meeting with the North Korean leader have been determined.