Trump urges China to keep tight North Korea border


A North Korean border guard, as seen from the Chinese side of the border north of Dandong, China, takes position at Hekou's Broken Bridge over the Yalu River, north of the towns of Sinuiju in North Korea on Nov 20, 2017.
PHOTO: REUTERS

WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - United States President Donald Trump on Monday (May 21) pressed China to maintain a secure border with North Korea, weighing in ahead of an anticipated June meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un aimed at denuclearisation.

"China must continue to be strong & tight on the Border of North Korea until a deal is made. The word is that recently the Border has become much more porous and more has been filtering in. I want this to happen, and North Korea to be VERY successful, but only after signing!" Mr Trump tweeted.

He did not elaborate on the significance of the North Korea-China border issue in any deal that might be reached on denuclearisation.

Mr Trump has said his meeting with Mr Kim will take place on June 12 in Singapore.

Pyongyang last week threatened to scrap any meeting if Washington continued to press for unilateral denuclearisation. In response, Mr Trump said that as far as he knew, the meeting was still on track and sought to placate Mr Kim by saying the North Korean leader would be protected as part of any deal.

Last week, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that Mr Kim was possibly being influenced by Beijing, North Korea's main ally, after two recent visits the Pyongyang leader made to China.

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