North Korea seems "sincere" in its offer to suspend its nuclear program amid possible talks with the United States because of "biting" sanctions and intervention from China, President Donald Trump said Tuesday.
"I think that they are sincere, but I think they're sincere also because of the sanctions and . . . the great help that we've been getting from China," the president said at a news conference with Prime Minister Stefan Löfven of Sweden at the White House.
"They can do more," he said of Beijing, "but I think they've done more than they've ever done for our country before.
"China has been a big help."
Dictator Kim Jong Un has agreed to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in next month and announce a halt to his country's nuclear and missile tests if Pyongyang holds talks with the United States, a senior South Korean official said Tuesday.
Trump has expressed warried optimism on Pyongyang's offer, but attributed any breakthrough to the crippling sanctions, most recently imposed shortly after its first nuclear-weapons test in 2006.
"The sanctions have been very, very strong," he said. "And very biting.
"And we don't want that to happen.
"So, I believe they are sincere," the president said. "I hope they're sincere."
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