Ed Royce: Beijing Needs to Take North Korea Off 'Life Support'

Efforts to stop North Korea's nuclear program must include China severing ties with the reclusive nation, Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., said Wednesday.

Royce appeared on Fox News and reacted to President Donald Trump's speech in Seoul earlier Wednesday that called on China and other nations to join forces with the United States to push back against North Korean aggression.

"We heard last week from the top-ranking defector, the most senior defector we've ever had before the [House Foreign Affairs Committee]," said Royce, who chairs the aforementioned panel. "He was the minister in London from North Korea and he shared with us the importance of continuing the momentum of these sanctions and on putting more diplomatic pressure against North Korea.

"The defector told us, the minister told us, this is the Achilles heel of North Korea, the life support system they have from Beijing. Shut that down and they can't pay their generals and they obviously cannot continue to build a multi-billion-dollar nuclear program. It rests upon our success here."

Royce noted that Trump's speech set a tone for "the hard diplomacy" that will take place when Trump meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping Thursday in Beijing.

"We know that there is much more that Beijing could be doing because, in fact, it is the lifeline to the North Korean regime," Royce said. "And this sends a powerful message in advance of the president's arrival."

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