Trump says China 'a big help' in addressing Korean Peninsula issues

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01:04

China has been a "big help" and influential in addressing the issues on the Korean Peninsula, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday.

He made the remarks while answering a question from CGTN about China's role in the engagement between Washington and Pyongyang during a press conference after his second summit with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

Trump also praised Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "great leader who is highly respected all over the world" and thanked Xi for helping to mediate with Pyongyang.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks next to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a news conference after Trump's summit with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, at the JW Marriott Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam, February 28, 2019. /VGC Photo

During a regular press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said China is willing to play a constructive role and hopes the U.S. and the DPRK can maintain their talks and respect each other's concerns.

"Dialogue is the only viable path for the settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue," he stressed.

The second Trump-Kim summit on Thursday was cut short and ended without an agreement over disagreement on the sanctions issue, according to Trump.

Lu noted he was still waiting for two sides' comments about the summit, reiterating that China's role is always to actively promote peace talks and provide various solutions.

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The spokesperson also announced that DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Ri Kil Song visited China on Thursday at the invitation of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

"The two sides will exchange views on the China-DPRK relationship and international and regional issues of common concern," he added.