china sends envoy to n korea trump hails big move
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

on its nuclear-armed ally.

China sends envoy to N. Korea, Trump hails 'big move'

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today China sends envoy to N. Korea, Trump hails 'big move'

China sends envoy to N. Korea, Trump hails 'big move'
Beijing - Al Maghrib Today

China dispatched a special envoy to North Korea on Friday, a trip hailed as a "big move" by US President Donald Trump, who has urged Beijing to pile pressure on its nuclear-armed ally.

Diplomat Song Tao was travelling to the North on behalf of President Xi Jinping to brief officials on the recent Chinese Communist Party congress and other "issues of mutual interest", foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.

But analysts expect Song to address the nuclear standoff, which has roiled relations between the two Cold War-era allies as China has backed United Nations sanctions on North Korea over its missile tests and sixth nuclear blast.

Trump, who warned Xi during his trip to Beijing last week that time was "quickly running out" to solve the nuclear crisis, took to Twitter on Thursday to hail the mission as "a big move, we'll see what happens!".

The US leader wants China, which accounts for 90 percent of North Korea's foreign trade, to put more economic pressure on the reclusive regime.

But experts doubt Song's visit will yield major breakthroughs.

"China has virtually no political influence on North Korea. Its influence is derived from economic leverage," Bonnie Glaser, China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, told AFP.

"Relations are extremely stressed. Perhaps the lowest point since the Korean War," she said. "Perhaps (the mission) will put a floor under China-North Korea relations, preventing further deterioration."

- Ties at 'lowest point' -

China has imposed its own banking restrictions on North Koreans in addition to enacting a series of UN measures that include bans on imports of coal, iron ore and seafood from the North.

But Beijing fears that squeezing Pyongyang too hard would cause its collapse.

Song will be the first Chinese envoy to make an official trip to North Korea since October 2016, when vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin visited.

Geng gave scant details about the trip, saying he did not know if Song had arrived in Pyongyang, who he will meet or what topics he will discuss. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said it had spotted him at Beijing's airport earlier on Friday.

China's relations with North Korea are currently at "the lowest point they've been in history", leaving the North diplomatically at its most isolated, said Lu Chao, director of the North Korea Research Centre at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences.

As a high-level diplomat, Song would likely meet directly with North Korea's top leaders, he said.

"As far as North Korea is concerned, China's opinion is still an important one and will certainly arouse their full attention," Lu said.

- 'Freeze for freeze' -

As nuclear tensions have soared, Xi has pushed for negotiations and a "dual track approach" in which the United States would freeze its military drills in the region while North Korea halts its weapons programmes.

Trump claimed this week that Xi had agreed to drop his plan during their talks last week, but Beijing stood by its policy.

"We believe that at the moment, this is the most realistic, feasible, fair and reasonable plan," Geng told a regular news briefing.

Yuan Jingdong, a specialist in Asia-Pacific security issues at the University of Sydney, expects little from Song's mission.

"We can expect some face-saving, assuring but very general and abstract commitments with no substance changes in North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes," Yuan said.

The visit is "more about warning North Korea against going to extremes than forcing it to give up the nukes" because China's top priority remains maintaining regional stability, he said.

Song would likely "assure Kim that if he behaves within a reasonable bound he can expect Beijing to continue providing some assistance and resist broadening the sanctions."

Source: AFP

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

china sends envoy to n korea trump hails big move china sends envoy to n korea trump hails big move

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

china sends envoy to n korea trump hails big move china sends envoy to n korea trump hails big move

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today The Rake announces editorial updates

GMT 10:46 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

The Rake announces editorial updates
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Europe brings on charm and blue skies

GMT 11:51 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Europe brings on charm and blue skies
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today For the Variety of Interior Design Styles

GMT 10:46 2017 Tuesday ,19 December

For the Variety of Interior Design Styles
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today US Christian tourists see deep meaning

GMT 13:44 2018 Monday ,22 January

US Christian tourists see deep meaning
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 10:03 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 10:43 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Volkswagen clinches record sales

GMT 18:10 2013 Friday ,11 October

Sales of 'less elitist' contemporary art soar

GMT 17:21 2017 Sunday ,17 December

Fatah calls for protests against US

GMT 19:24 2017 Wednesday ,01 November

Tatler Restaurant Awards 2018 winners announced

GMT 02:27 2015 Friday ,06 February

5 troops killed in Yemen suicide attack

GMT 04:09 2013 Saturday ,14 September

The ironies of postponing a military strike against Syria

GMT 23:12 2011 Monday ,16 May

Busquets cleared for Champions League final

GMT 13:47 2017 Friday ,14 April

Living Room Decorating and Designs

GMT 09:20 2015 Thursday ,03 September

The return of the state

GMT 08:23 2017 Friday ,15 December

N. Korean defector pleads to return

GMT 12:45 2016 Thursday ,08 December

Original Madame Butterfly in Milan, 112 years later

GMT 18:24 2011 Saturday ,14 May

The holy cities

GMT 10:09 2016 Saturday ,05 November

Shocked by women's murders, Latin Americans fight back

GMT 12:03 2017 Wednesday ,15 February

Ambitious Western US music center plans premiere

GMT 14:03 2017 Wednesday ,13 December

Israeli jailed for arson at Jesus 'miracle' church

GMT 10:10 2017 Tuesday ,12 December

WTO, under fire from US, meets in Buenos Aires
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday