United States and South Korea are asked to desist from carrying out joint drills in the Korean peninsula to ease debilitating tensions that may trigger the supposedly world war 3.
Officials from Xi Jinpingโs government have told their US and South Korean counterparts to stop the joint drills in the region โ exercises that are often used as a show of force in response to military tests carried out by Kim Jong-unโs nuclear cronies.
In return, they believe they can negotiate a stop to the tyrantโs nuclear and missile provocations amid fears tensions could trigger the start of Worldย War 3 on the Korean peninsula.
Geng Shuang, China’s foreign ministry spokesman claims freezing military drills in exchange for a freeze on North Korean missile testing was the best means of achieving peace in the region.
He said: โChina sees the freeze-for-freeze scheme is the most reasonable way
The officialโs comments follow a 12-day tour of Asia by President Trump, in which the Republican firebrand met with Chinaโs newly emboldened leader Xi Jinping to discuss bringing an end to the North Korean threat.
However, on Wednesday the US President claimed he โwould not acceptโ freeze for freeze plans “like those that have consistently failed in the pastโ.
Mr. Geng added: โThe freeze-for-freeze move is just for a breakthrough and the first step.
“The final objective is to peacefully resolve the North’s nuclear problem and realise long-term stability on the Korean Peninsula.”
It comes as the United States deploys 14,000 troops on aircraft carriers and destroyers off the coast of North Korea for a series of war games with Japan in drills likely to infuriate Kim Jong-un.
More than 14,000 servicemen will take part in the ten-day exercise, which will see US and Japanese troops performing war games in the waters off Okinawa.
The US Navy said the drills, which began on Thursday, are โdesigned to increase the defensive readiness and interoperability of Japanese and American forces through training in air and sea operationsโ.
And they also include aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan, and the guided-missile destroyers USS Stethem, USS Chafee and USS Mustin, among others – the first such deployment of three US carriers since 2007.
A US Navy spokesman: “The exercise follows more than a week of scenario-based training ashore.โ
The display of military force is meant to pressure North Korea and make it clear to Pyongyang the US can rapidly mobilise a potent military agains it.
Source: Reuters
