China hits back at Trump’s ‘absurd logic’ on N. Korea denuclearization

China has slammed US President Donald Trump’s “absurd logic” in blaming Beijing for an apparent delay in Washington’s denuclearization talks with North Korea. It follows Trump accusing China of “pressuring” Pyongyang.

Pressure has been mounting on Trump to explain why his much-vaunted talks with North Korea in June have yet to deliver any results, with Pyongyang failing to show any concrete steps towards its promise of denuclearizing the region.

The US president on Wednesday shrugged off any responsibility and instead sought to shift the blame onto Beijing – North Korea’s only ally in the region – citing its “tremendous pressuring” of Pyongyang.

READ MORE: Trump says ‘no reason’ for costly war games with South Korea, blames China for stalemate with North

“President Donald J. Trump feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese government,” Trump said on Twitter.

He added that China providing North Korea with a series of other “commodities” is “not helpful.” 

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman hit back during a press briefing. “A lot of people, like me, feel that the US is first in the world when it comes to twisting the truth, and irresponsible and absurd logic,” she said. “This logic is not easily understood by all.”

Trump then seemed to take a more amicable tone as he said that – despite North Korea’s current failure to return concessions – there is “no reason” right now to spend loads of money on US military exercises with South Korea.

STATEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

President Donald J. Trump feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government. At the same time, we also know that China is providing North Korea with...

Trump took military commanders by surprise in June when, after talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, he announced that “provocative” drills with Seoul would be suspended.

In yet another episode of White House officials contradicting their leader, the comments were at odds with Defense Secretary James Mattis on Tuesday, who said the drills would not be suspended for the time being.

That was just a day after the announcement that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to North Korea would be canceled because of the peninsula’s failure to denuclearize.