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Chinese President Urges Trump To Calm Tension With North Korea

The Chinese and U.S. Presidents spoke on the phone to settle North Korea tensions.

During a phone conversation with the U.S. President, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Donald Trump to avoid words or actions that could escalate tensions with North Korea.

China's foreign ministry revealed in a statement Xi told Trump it is essential for all parties to avoid provocative behaviour and instead focus on "dialogue, negotiation and a political solution".

"Concerned parties must exercise restraint and avoid remarks and actions that escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula," Xi told Trump in the statement.

Xi Jinping has urged Donald Trump to stay calm and avoid aggravating tension with North Korea.
Carlos Barria / Reuters
Xi Jinping has urged Donald Trump to stay calm and avoid aggravating tension with North Korea.

The White House later released a statement indicating the world leaders reiterated their joint commitment to denuclearise North Korea and "agreed North Korea must stop its provocative and escalatory behaviour".

The phone call came only hours after President Trump began exasperating tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, claiming the nation's military was "locked and loaded" if North Korea chose to "act unwisely".

During the phone call, Xi reassured the U.S. President that China and the United States have a mutual interest in maintaining peace and stability.

The Chinese President also urged the U.S. to stop military drills with South Korea despite The United States Department of Defense indicating plans for a joint military exercise in the coming days will still go ahead.

Just days before Trump's warning to North Korea, The Pentagon released a statement calling on North Korea to stop the pursuit of nuclear weapons, emphasising the readiness of the United States' ballistic missile defense and nuclear deterrent forces.

This year, North Korea has conducted 14 missile tests.
KCNA KCNA / Reuters
This year, North Korea has conducted 14 missile tests.

"While our State Department is making every effort to resolve this global threat through diplomatic means, it must be noted that the combined allied militaries now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth," the statement read.

"The DPRK regime's actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates."

Both China and the United States have backed strict United Nations sanctions imposed against North Korea including bans on North Korea's export of coal, iron, lead and seafood, as well as bans on work permits for North Korean migrant workers.

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