SEOUL, South Korea – Chinese President Xi Jinping said North Korea is taking the “right direction” by politically resolving issues on the Korean Peninsula in a rare op-ed published by a North Korean state newspaper Wednesday, a day before Xi visits Pyongyang to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Xi didn’t mention the stalled nuclear weapons talks between Washington and Pyongyang in the Rodong Sinmun article. Xi said his visit on Thursday and Friday would “strengthen strategic communication and exchange” between the traditional allies. Kim has said he would seek a “new way” if the United States persists with sanctions and pressure against North Korea. Kim met Xi four times in China last year during a diplomatic outreach that also included meetings with Trump, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 19, 2019 02:48 UTC