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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 9 January 2019

Kim Jong Un travels to China ahead of possible 2nd US summit

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN for the U.S. to ease the
Associated Press harsh international sanc-
BEIJING (AP) — North Kore- tions that hold back the
an leader Kim Jong Un was North Korean economy.
expected to meet Tuesday South Korean presidential
with China’s president at spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom
the start of a visit to Beijing said Tuesday that Seoul
believed to be an effort hopes Kim’s trip to China
to coordinate with his only will act as a “stepping
major ally ahead of a possi- stone” for a second Trump-
ble second summit with U.S. Kim summit.
President Donald Trump. Trump has offered assur-
Kim’s trip, announced ear- ances that another sum-
lier by both sides, comes mit will allow him and Kim
after U.S. and North Ko- to make a grand deal to
rean officials are thought settle the nuclear standoff
to have met in Vietnam to and change a relationship
discuss the site of a second marked by decades of ani-
summit. mosity and mistrust.
Chinese foreign ministry However, outside ana-
spokesman Lu Kang gave lysts are highly skeptical
no details about Kim’s that North Korea will eas-
schedule or China’s role as In this Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, photo provided on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 by the North Korean ily abandon a nuclear ar-
an intermediary between government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks with his wife Ri Sol Ju at Pyongyang Station senal constructed in the
the U.S. and North Korea. in Pyongyang, North Korea, before leaving for China. face of deep poverty and
But he said Beijing remains Associated Press likely seen by Kim as his
supportive of efforts to end State Guest House in the ton last year. He also visited tween the leaders of the only guarantee of regime
tensions over U.S. demands capital’s west, with meet- China three times, notably war enemies — there’s survival.
for a halt to North Korea’s ings held at the Great Hall without a reciprocal visit been little real progress in Instead, Kim may be seek-
nuclear and missile pro- of the People, the hulk- from Xi in a break with dip- nuclear disarmament. ing to gauge China’s at-
grams. ing seat of the legislature lomatic convention. Washington is pressing titude toward sanctions
“We always believe that, that sits next to Tiananmen But even after what was North Korea to offer up a ahead of the talks, in-
as key parties to the Ko- Square. seen as a blockbuster detailed accounting of its cluding what North Korea
rean Peninsula issue, it’s im- The trip marked a break summit between Kim and nuclear arsenal, while the would have to concede in
portant for the two sides to with past practice in that Trump in Singapore last North says it has already order to win Beijing’s sup-
maintain contact and we it was announced in ad- June — the first ever be- done enough and it’s time port at the U.N.q
always support their dia- vance of Kim’s arrival, a
logue to achieve positive possible sign of growing
outcomes,” Lu told report- confidence on the part of
ers at a daily briefing. North Korea and China,
He said further information the North’s most impor-
about Kim’s activities, the tant trading partner and a
outcome of his meetings key buffer against pressure
and a possible visit by Chi- from Washington.
nese President Xi Jinping to After years of cool relations
North Korea would be “re- following Kim’s assumption
leased in due course.” of power 2011, ties have
A long motorcade thought improved remarkably over
to be carrying Kim, includ- the past year as Xi seeks
ing motorcycle outriders re- to maintain his influence in
served for state leaders, left the region.
a Beijing train station shortly Kim’s trip comes as the U.S.
after the arrival of an ar- and North Korea look to
mored train consisting of 20 settle the North’s decades-
to 25 cars — most of whose long pursuit of a nuclear
windows were blacked- arsenal. The U.S. and North
out — along tracks lined Korea seemed close to war
by police and paramilitary at points during 2017 as the
troops. North staged a series of in-
The North’s Korean Central creasingly powerful weap-
News Agency said Kim de- ons tests that brought it
parted Monday afternoon closer to its nuclear goal of
with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and one day being able to tar-
other top officials. It said get anywhere on the U.S.
Kim is visiting China at the mainland.
invitation of Chinese Presi- Possibly fearing the eco-
dent Xi Jinping. Tuesday nomic effect of crushing
also happens to be Kim’s outside sanctions imposed
birthday. over his weapons tests, Kim
Kim is expected to stay at abruptly turned to diploma-
the highly secure Diaoyutai cy with Seoul and Washing-