U.S., China reaffirm shared goal of North Korea denuclearization

· UPI

May 18 (Asia Today) -- The United States and China reaffirmed their shared goal of North Korea's denuclearization during last week's summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, according to U.S. officials and diplomatic sources.

The discussions took place during Trump's May 14-15 visit to China for talks with Xi, though neither side publicly disclosed detailed agreements on North Korea immediately after the summit.

According to diplomatic sources in Beijing citing a White House fact sheet released Saturday, Trump and Xi confirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Jamieson Greer, the U.S. trade representative who accompanied Trump during the visit, also said in an interview with ABC News that the two leaders agreed to maintain the objective of North Korean denuclearization.

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The reaffirmation comes as North Korea continues to reject denuclearization talks and advances its nuclear weapons and missile programs. Analysts said the agreement suggests Washington and Beijing still oppose recognizing North Korea as a legitimate nuclear weapons state.

However, it remains unclear whether the latest understanding between the two countries will lead to stronger coordinated pressure on Pyongyang.

China, despite emphasizing the importance of its ties with North Korea, has in recent years resisted additional U.N. Security Council sanctions and condemnation related to North Korean ballistic missile launches, often diverging from the positions of the United States, South Korea and Japan.

The Trump administration has also maintained the official goal of North Korean denuclearization since returning to office in January 2025, but it has yet to present a detailed diplomatic or pressure strategy for achieving that objective.

Chinese state media previously reported only that Trump and Xi exchanged views on major international issues including the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula. The White House summary released after the summit did not initially mention North Korea.

Greer also said the two leaders agreed that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open and free of transit fees.

Asked about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, Greer said Washington has sold weapons to Taiwan for decades but noted that previous administrations at times suspended such sales.

"President Obama paused arms sales at one point. President Bush did as well," Greer said during the interview.

Greer attended both the summit meeting and subsequent luncheon discussions in Beijing as part of the U.S. delegation.

-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260518010004636