The United States has opened a direct link with the DPRK, - Tillerson

The United States has opened a direct link with North Korea and is examining whether the Kim Jong-il regime is interested in continuing talks on the abandonment of its nuclear weapons.

This is reported by Tsensor.NET with reference to Voice of America.

According to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is currently in Beijing, Washington is keen on working with China under the "maximum pressure" campaign in the DPRK.

"We are studying the situation, wait and see," Tillerson told reporters after talks with Chinese officials. "We ask, we have communication channels with Pyongyang, we are not in a situation of darkness, loss of communication, we have two or three channels, open to Pyongyang ".

On the background of exacerbating tensions on the Korean peninsula, Tillerson met with China's leader Xi Jinping to discuss the DPRK's nuclear program, bilateral trade and preparations for the first, scheduled for November, visit by US President Donald Trump to China.

Earlier on Saturday, Tillerson met with Member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Van I.

The US is working closely with the Chinese side on Beijing's commitment to sanctions policy: halting imports of North Korean coal, iron ore, lead and seafood.

China's total ban on imports of these goods could significantly reduce North Korea's revenues this year. According to the US Department of State, North Korea received $ 1.5 billion from the export of these goods to China in 2016.

The PRC is the main trading partner of North Korea. Washington believes that China's strong position on sanctions is key to stopping Pyongyang's access to hard currency.

At the same time, director of Asian programs at the International Carnegie Foundation Douglas Paal believes that China's influence on North Korea is limited.

"The DPRK is reluctant to heed China's instructions. Pyongyang uses everything that China can receive, but does not turn to it for political advice. So this is a problem that we (the United States and South Korea) will have to deal with directly with North Korea as we will move forward, "Paal said.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою