BEIJING: China urged its ally North Korea on Wednesday to proceed with a historic summit between its leader, Kim Jong Un, and US President Donald Trump, amid threats from the North that it would scrap the meeting. North Korea's warning came hours after it abruptly cancelled a high-level meeting with South Korea to protest US-South Korean military exercises. China has called for the building of mutual trust through the suspension of large-scale US and South Korean war games in return for a halt of the North's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. Chinese President Xi Jinping has met twice with Kim over the past two months in what was seen as an attempt to ensure China's interests are upheld in any negotiations between the US and North Korea. Analysts said North Korea's threat to scuttle the summit is likely an attempt to gain leverage over Washington, which has demanded the North immediately and irreversibly cease its nuclear weapons program.

Source: Bangkok Post May 16, 2018 10:52 UTC