Photo : YONHAP News
Anchor: U.S. President Donald Trump says he discussed a range of major issues, including North Korea, Taiwan and Iran, with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their summit in Beijing. Trump also claimed Xi asked him how the U.S. would respond if China attacked Taiwan.
Yun Sohyang has more.
Report: Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after wrapping up his visit to China, President Trump confirmed that he discussed the North Korea issue with President Xi, saying he maintains a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and that the two have been in recent contact.
He stopped short, however, of offering specifics.
[Sound bite: U.S. President Donald Trump]
“I have a very good relationship with him (Kim Jong-un). He has been very respectful of our country.”
On efforts to end the war with Iran, Trump said a 20-year halt to Tehran’s nuclear program would be acceptable but stressed that it would have to be a “real” commitment.
He also claimed Xi also agreed that Tehran should abandon its nuclear weapons program and that the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened.
On Taiwan, one of the most closely watched items on the summit agenda, Trump said he and Xi “talked a lot,” adding that he doesn’t believe there is a dispute with China and that he made no commitments on the issue.
The U.S. president said Xi asked him whether Washington would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, a question he declined to answer.
If accurate, the exchange could be interpreted as a sign that Beijing is weighing military options.
Trump also said he discussed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan with Xi, a potentially significant departure from a 1982 assurance given to Taipei under the Reagan administration that Washington would not consult Beijing in advance on such sales.
[Sound bite: U.S. President Donald Trump]
“We discussed arms sales, too. It was in great detail, actually. And I’ll be making decisions.”
China, for its part, announced that President Xi will pay a state visit to the United States this fall, suggesting summit-level diplomacy between the two countries will continue.
While emphasizing the diplomatic common ground between Washington and Beijing, Trump said tariffs, which are a far more sensitive issue, were not discussed.
Yun Sohyang, KBS World Radio News.