US President Donald Trump today spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping over the phone to brief him on the North Korean developments. "The two leaders welcomed the prospect of dialogue between the United States and North Korea, and committed to maintain pressure and sanctions until Pyongyang takes tangible steps toward complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization," the White House said in a readout of the call. During the call, Trump expressed hope that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un might choose a "brighter path" for North Korea's future. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump has spoken with a number of world leaders after he was briefed on North Korean by the visiting South Korean national security adviser. A day earlier, Trump also called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, during which the two leaders agreed to continue to maintain pressure on North Korea till the time it takes tangible steps toward complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization. The White House said this in a statement after the conversation between Trump and Abe to discuss the situation in North Korea and to continue the close coordination between the two countries. Trump and Abe assessed that the maximum pressure policy, together with international solidarity, brought them to this critical juncture wherein North Korea has agreed to refrain from testing of nuclear weapons and missiles. "The leaders affirmed their strong intention to continue close trilateral coordination with South Korea to maintain pressure and enforce international sanctions until such point that North Korea takes tangible steps toward complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization," the White House said. Trump expressed his hope that Kim's invitation signals his desire to give the North Korean people a brighter future, it said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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