Sen. Steve Daines said Tuesday that coordination with the Chinese is essential to taming North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
“We need the cooperation and the help from the Chinese. They play a very important role in additional sanctions, the banking sanctions, stopping oil imports in North Korea. Those are some important levers that we can throw there at the moment to work to the denuclearization of North Korea,” Mr. Daines, Montana Republican, said on Fox News.
Mr. Daines just returned from a trip to the Korean Demilitarized Zone where he said policies “over the past 25 years have failed.” He added that he “whole heartedly agreed” with the Trump administration’s position about the end of strategic patience.
“North Koreans can launch artillery within seconds and hit Seoul…This is a very complicated situation,” Mr. Daines said. “I’m just grateful for the men and women right now who serve us in the U.S. military who are operating in an incredible, professional capacity.”
The escalating situation with North Korea’s nuclear capability has been a source of criticism for President Trump and his team.
Some say the increasingly hostile language Mr. Trump uses in referring to North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un is making the situation worse, while others say it’s drawing attention to the issue.
North Korea has continued testing missiles and repeatedly threatened to hit the U.S. homeland.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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