Trump: North Korean Leader Has Opportunity to Do the 'Right Thing'

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, stated that the North Korean leader has a good chance to do the 'right thing for his people and for humanity' and move towards achieving peace. On Wednesday, April 8, Mr. Trump tweeted that Xi Jinping, the President of China, told him about a good meeting he had with Kim Jong Un this week and that 'everything was good.' According to Mr. Trump, the Chinese President said that Kim Jong Un is 'eager to meet' with the U.S. President. The White House had previously announced that the meeting between the North Korean and U.S. leaders would take place in May of this year. Trump continued in his messages, saying, 'And unfortunately, the maximum sanctions and pressure at any cost must continue on North Korea!' Recently, Pyongyang had asked the U.S. government to 'take negotiations seriously' and end 'sanctions and pressure against North Korea.' North Korean state television reported on Wednesday without sending images that Kim Jong Un had met with the President of China. However, Chinese state television broadcast footage of the North Korean leader's negotiations with Xi Jinping. In these images, Kim Jong Un is seen calmly sitting at a table with the Chinese President. The report from North Korean state television made no mention of Kim Jong Un's remarks welcoming a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and his willingness for open negotiations with the U.S. However, Chinese media reported that the North Korean leader had referred to these points. It has been reported that although the North Korean leader made his trip secretly and even Chinese media described it as an 'unofficial' visit, Chinese officials held an official welcoming ceremony for him. Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, referring to open negotiations with North Korea, stated that any negotiation should lead to the end of North Korea's nuclear program. On Wednesday, Mr. Abe expressed his desire to know what transpired during the meeting between the Chinese President and the North Korean leader and hoped that China would keep Tokyo informed. The Japanese Prime Minister emphasized that it is important that negotiations are not just for the sake of negotiating but aimed at achieving a verifiable and irreversible end to the nuclear weapons program. The White House stated that on Tuesday, the Chinese government contacted the U.S. government and informed them about Kim Jong Un's trip to Beijing. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House spokesperson, said that during this phone conversation, the Chinese President conveyed a message from the North Korean leader to Donald Trump. Ms. Sanders did not provide further details about the content of this message. Kim Jong Un's trip to China is considered his first visit since he assumed leadership of North Korea.