Axis of Evil

President Trump slams China for not helping contain North Korea's nuclear ambitions
By Chris Graham
Donald Trump says China must do more to rein in North Korea.
Donald Trump has criticised China for not doing enough to control North Korea, in his latest barbs on Twitter aimed at Beijing.
Weeks after using the social media site to lash out at the country over its currency and stance on Taiwan, the US president took aim at China on Monday for benefiting from trade with the US while not doing its bit to rein in Pyongyang.
"China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the US in totally one-sided trade, but won't help with North Korea. Nice!," he tweeted.
Kim Jong-un, North Korea's leader, boasted on Sunday that North Korea was in the "final stages" of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile, claiming the country had significantly bolstered its nuclear deterrent in 2016.

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Donald J. Trump 

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China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the U.S. in totally one-sided trade, but won't help with North Korea. Nice!

12:47 AM - 3 Jan 2017

 
•  12,13112,131 Retweets
 
•  41,41741,417 likes

The country carried out two nuclear tests and numerous missile launches last year in pursuit of its goal of developing a nuclear weapons system capable of striking the US mainland.
Mr Trump, however, declared North Korea would never develop such a missile.
"North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the US. It won't happen!," he wrote on Twitter.

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Donald J. Trump 

✔@realDonaldTrump

North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won't happen!

12:05 AM - 3 Jan 2017

 
•  19,43319,433 Retweets
 
•  63,17263,172 likes

Chinese media responded angrily to Mr Trump's tweet, with the Global Times, a state-run tabloid, saying he was "pandering to 'irresponsible' attitudes".
The newspaper said Pyongyang's nuclear programme "stokes the anxieties of some Americans" who blame China rather than looking inward.
The US president has not stated his policy on the isolated Stalinist state since winning the election in November. 

During the presidential campaign, the Republican billionaire said he would pressure China, North Korea's biggest trading partner and main ally, to exert more influence on Mr Kim, while also suggesting he was willing to meet the North Korean leader.
"I would speak to him, I would have no problem speaking to him. At the same time I would put a lot of pressure on China because economically we have tremendous power over China," he told Reuters in May.