North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing on Tuesday on an unannounced visit for talks with President Xi Jinping, as preparations ramp up for an expected second summit with Donald Trump. The visit comes a week after Kim warned in a New Year’s speech that Pyongyang may change its approach to nuclear talks if Washington persists with sanctions. – Trump summit –At the Singapore summit, Kim and Trump signed a vaguely worded pledge about the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, but progress has since stalled amid disagreements over what that means, with meetings and visits cancelled at short notice. The US president said last week he had received a “great letter” from the North Korean leader but declined to reveal its contents. – Train ride –Kim’s latest trip to China began under the usual veil of secrecy, emerging only after South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that a special North Korean train had been seen crossing the border late Monday.

Source: Egypt Independent January 08, 2019 10:41 UTC