29 Mar 2024
Monday 23 October 2017 - 17:37
Story Code : 280519

Trump on N Korea: 'You Would Be Shocked to See How Prepared We Are'



Sputnik News- US President Donald Trump has commented on several issues, including the North Korean crisis, the NAFTA agreement and the influence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, during an interview with Fox News.




US President Donald Trump said onSunday that the United States was prepared forany course ofevents withregard tothe development ofthe North Korean crisis.
"We're prepared foranything. We are so prepared likeyou wouldn't believe. You would be shocked tosee how totally prepared we are, if we need tobe," Trump said inan interview withFox News Channel.


Presumably speaking abouta military solution tothe North Korean crisis, Trump said it would be better toavoid a military conflict.

The president also praised Chinas actions regarding North Korea.
"Theyre closing offtheir banking systems toNorth Korea, they have cut the oil way down. With respect toNorth Korea, 93 percent ofthings going intoNorth Korea come throughChina. China is big stuff," Trump said.


Following Trump's calls onBeijing tocut trade withNorth Korea inorder tosettle the situation, China introduceda full ban onimportsofcoal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood fromNorth Korea.The Chinese Ministry ofCommerce said inSeptember that the country's imports fromNorth Korea went downby 16.3 percent year-on-year inJanuary-July 2017.
The situation onthe Korean Peninsula has escalated overthe pastfew months due toPyongyang's repeated missile launches and a nuclear test, all conducted inviolation ofthe UN Security Council resolutions. In September, the UN Security Council adopted itstoughest resolutionagainstPyongyang, restricting oil exports and banning imports oftextile products fromthe Asian nation, aswell asthe country's access togas liquids.The tensions inparticular led toanexchange ofthreatsbetweenWashington and Pyongyang, withTrump threatening totake a "devastating" military option and "totally destroy" North Korea if forced todefend the United States, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warning Washington ofthe "highest level ofhard-line countermeasures inhistory."

In June, a "double freeze"scenariowas proposed byChina and backed byRussia, inwhich North Korea ceases its nuclear missile tests, while US-South Korean military drills are simultaneously halted. The initiative was rejected byWashington.

On Chinese President Xi Jinping's Influence

According tothe US president, the influence ofChinese President Xi Jinping might increase followingthe 19th National Congress ofthe Communist Party ofChina (CPC).
"I have developed a very good relationship withPresidentXi. President Xi is right now going throughhis congress and it is going tobe something very soon, it is going tohappen, that gives him something that few leaders ofChina have ever had and Im really good withthat. And tobe honest, when I told him this I want tokeep things very low-key untilsuch times he gets that, I want him toget that, I think he deserves that. Hes a good man," Trump said inan interview withFox News Channel.


Xi is the seventh president ofthe People's Republic ofChina; he assumed office in2013. He has also been the General Secretary ofthe CPC Central Committee since2012. Xi has been onnumerous occasions selected asone ofthe world'smost influential peoplebysuch outlets asForbes, Time and The Economist.

The 19th National Congress ofthe CPCkicked offon Wednesdayand will last fora week. The party delegates atthe congressional meeting will elect the new leadership ofthe Communist Party ofChina, including the CPC Central Committee.

On Sanctions Against Iran

Trump said that the United States didn't need the European Union's support forthe possible strengthening ofsanctions againstIran.
"Honestly, I told them [the Europeans], they are friends ofmine, they really are, I get alongwith all ofthem, whether it's [French President] Emmanuel [Macron] or whether it's [German Chancellor] Angela [Merkel] I really likethose people, I told them 'Just keep making money, do not worry aboutit, we do not need you onthis,'" Trump said inan interview withthe Fox news broadcaster.


According toTrump, "When Iran buys things fromGermany and fromFrance [it's] billions ofdollars."

The approach ofthe current US leader contradicts the position ofhis predecessor Barack Obama, who believed that unilateral sanctions withoutthe participation ofthe European Union and other major players were often ineffective and unprofitable forthe United States.

On October 13, Trump stated that the White House would work withCongress on "serious flaws" pertaining tothe Iran nuclear deal, also known asthe Joint Comprehensive Plan ofAction (JCPOA), concluded onJuly 14, 2015. He refused toofficially confirm toCongress Iran's compliance withtheJCPOA.

The move prompted criticism fromothermembers ofthe P5+1 groupthat brokered the historic deal in2015, who had yet again stated that they believe Iran was incompliance withthe nuclear deal.

On NAFTA Deal

US President Donald Trump has reiterated that the United States is ready towithdraw fromthe North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) if the deal is not renegotiated ina way forWashington toget more favorable conditions.

Trump has repeatedly criticized NAFTA asdisadvantageous forthe United States and initiated the process ofrenegotiating the deal. Canada and Mexico have alreadyrejected US demandsforchanges affecting several provisions ofthe agreement.

Earlier this year,Mexicos Economy MinisterIldefonso Guajardo said that the potential revision or dissolution ofthe NAFTA agreement could spell trouble forglobal free trade.

Concerned business representatives also called onDonald Trump tokeep the trade dealinplace and only slightly modernize the existing agreements.

Earlier inOctober, the United States,Canadaand Mexico decided toextend the NAFTA negotiations intonext year beyondthe original deadline ofDecember 31. The next roundof talks is set totake placeinNovember 17-21 inMexico.


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