North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s surprise trip to China is “evidence” that a “maximum pressure” campaign on Pyongyang is working, the White House touted Tuesday evening.
“The Chinese government contacted the White House earlier on Tuesday to brief us on Kim Jong Un’s visit to Beijing,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. “The briefing included a personal message from President Xi to President Trump, which has been conveyed to President Trump.”
“The United States remains in close contact with our allies South Korea and Japan,” she added. “We see this development as further evidence that our campaign of maximum pressure is creating the appropriate atmosphere for dialogue with North Korea.”
The statement comes after it was reported by Chinese state media that Kim met with China’s president Xi Jinping as part of a surprise trip to Beijing this week.
Xi extended the invitation to Kim, who said he was dedicated to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and was open to conversations with the U.S., China news agency Xinhua reports.
Earlier this month it was announced that President Trump was willing to meet with Kim, after receiving an invitation, to discuss permanent denuclearization. The meeting is expected to happen at the end of May, a South Korean official said outside the White House while announcing Trump’s openness to a meeting.
Trump himself reacted to the development earlier this month, touting “great progress.” He said North Korea will not be conducting missile tests in the meantime, but United Nations sanctions will be remain in place “until an agreement is reached.”
The sanctions, which were issued in December in response to North Korea’s missile testing, were designed to cut North Korea’s oil imports, require North Koreans working overseas to return to North Korea within 24 months to deprive the nation of foreign currency, and crack down on North Korea’s exports.
Throughout 2017, Trump issued stern warnings to Pyongyang as it ramped up its nuclear weapons and missile programs.
“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” Trump told reporters in August. “They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.”
Trump also took mocked Kim, calling him variations of “Little Rocket Man.”
Trump even brought up the “Rocket Man” nickname during a United Nations General Assembly speech in September. He warned that the U.S. would have “no choice but to totally destroy North Korea” if the rogue regime threatened the U.S. or its allies.
In response, Kim said, “I will surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire.”
Kim traveled to Beijing in an armored train and it was not confirmed until he left Beijing on Tuesday that he had traveled to China. His wife Ri Sol-ju and senior advisers also accompanied him to meet with Xi.
The journey to China marks the first time Kim has left North Korea since he became leader of the rogue regime in 2011.
