John Barrasso: China ‘holds the key’ in North Korea talks

Sen. John Barrasso said Monday that China is integral to a denuclearized North Korea.

“China holds the key to this more than anything we’ve done in the past,” the Wyoming Republican said on Fox News.

Mr. Barrasso recently returned from a trip to the region where he said he saw China’s influence over North Korea, especially economically.

“That’s why I see China and the United States having overlapping interests right now,” he said. “And 90 percent of the money that goes into North Korea comes from China. Much of it has to do with China buying coal from North Korea. So China has now changed their behavior and said we are going to stop buying coal from North Korea, which means all that money won’t be going into North Korea.”

North Korea on Sunday tested another missile, which they claim is designed to hit the United States and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.