President Donald Trump is crediting China with taking a “big step” toward cracking down on North Korea after the Chinese ordered a fleet of coal-carrying cargo ships returned to North Korea.
The development could mark a new willingness on China’s behalf to use its economic might to stop North Korea’s nuclear program. It comes days after Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. The two then spoke on what the White House called a “very productive” phone call Tuesday night.
Trump confirmed China’s action in turning away North Korean coal during a joint news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
“We have a very big problem in North Korea. And, as I said, I really think that China is going to try very hard, and has already started,” Trump said.
“A lot of the coal boats have already been turned back — you saw that yesterday and today — they’ve been turned back,” he said. “The vast amount of coal that comes out of North Korea going to China, they’ve turned back the boats. That’s a big step, and they have many other steps that I know about.”
Trump also signaled a willingness for the US to play a more confrontational role with North Korea, adding: “So we’ll see what happens. It may be effective, it may not be effective. If it’s not effective, we will be effective, I can promise you that.”
Reuters, which first reported that the North Korean ships had turned back to their home port of Nampo, citing its Thomson Reuters Eikon financial information and analytics platform, also reported that China is increasing coal orders from the United States.
No US coal was shipped to China between late 2014 and 2016, but 400,000 tons had been shipped there from the United States by late February, Reuters reported.
At Wednesday’s news conference, Trump said Xi “wants to do the right thing.”
“We had a very good bonding. I think we had a very good chemistry together. I think he wants to help us with North Korea,” Trump said.
He also said the United States is willing to strike a trade deal with friendlier conditions for China if the country plays a role in deterring North Korea’s nuclear program.
“I said, ‘The way you’re going to make a good trade deal is to help us with North Korea. Otherwise we’re just going to go it alone,'” Trump said. “That’ll be all right too — but going it alone means going with lots of other nations.”