President Trump blames China for North Korea's lack of denuclearisation progress

President Trump faces backlash as the denuclearisation process stalls following the summit between Mr Trump and North Korean leader Kim-Jong-un last June.

Though Trump asserts that his relationship with Jim Jong Un “is a very good and warm one”, he makes reference to “war games” that might still arise between the US and South Korea, in which case his response will be “far bigger than ever before.”

STATEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

President Donald J. Trump feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government. At the same time, we also know that China is providing North Korea with...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2018

In a series of tweets, Trump lambasted China for mounting “tremendous pressure” on North Korea due to the existing trade disagreements between the US and the former. The existing embargoes between the two countries threaten the newfangled relationship between Trump and Kim-Jong-un.

Trump argues that the fact that China extends significant assistance to North Korea by way of money, fuel, and other products makes the situation more difficult.

While since last June’s summit, North Korea claims to have dismantled nuclear testing sites and ceased the testing of missiles, Trump claims he is unsatisfied with the slow progress and has called out Pyongyang in this regard.

All's well after the June Summit (Reuters)

Pyongyang’s response suggests that this might be due to Trump’s failure to sign an official declaration to end the Korean War.

Since an UN report found evidence that North Korea has maintained work on its nuclear programme, the US urged the international community to carry on with sanctions and economic pressure, which is why Trump believes that China was giving leeway.

Despite these revelations, President Trump continues to assert that relations between the US and China are healthy and he is confident that the situation will be stabilised once President Trump sits with China’s “great President Xi Jinping.” The two countries are in agreement regarding North Korea’s nuclear activity.

China’s main fears lie in a complete disintegration of the North Korean regime that would allow South Korean and US troops to be too close for comfort, right by its borders. As things stand, the complex relationship between these countries is still tremulous.   

US and South Korean troops practicing a beach landing (Getty images)