North Korea just made China back down. Is Trump taking note?
6/10/202620 min
Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea this week has put the world on notice that Kim Jong-Un's nuclear program, and ambitions, are stronger than ever. But has Donald Trump taken note?
Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher on how North Korea has gone from global pariah to earning the respect of some of the world’s great capitals.
Background reading
- The Chinese president has arrived in North Korea. The world is watching
- Xi Jinping is feted in Pyongyang as Kim Jong-un swivels to Moscow
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSamantha Selinger-Morris· Host0:00
[pensive music] A visit this week from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to North Korea has put the world on notice. Kim Jong Un's nuclear program and ambitions are stronger than ever, but has Donald Trump taken notice? I'm Samantha Selinger-Morris, and you're listening to the Morning Edition from The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher on how North Korea has gone from global pariah to earning respect from some of the world's great capitals. [pensive music] Hey, Peter.
Peter Hartcher· Guest0:41
Hello, Samantha.
Samantha Selinger-Morris· Host0:42
Welcome back.
Peter Hartcher· Guest0:43
A pleasure.
Samantha Selinger-Morris· Host0:44
Okay, so I have to ask you this because a lot of us have been pretty focused on Iran's nuclear facilities, are they obliterated, are they not? And your latest column would suggest that maybe we should be looking at another country's nuclear facilities. [laughs] And perhaps we've dropped the ball.
Peter Hartcher· Guest1:01
Mm.
Samantha Selinger-Morris· Host1:01
Hartcher, have we dropped the ball?
Peter Hartcher· Guest1:02
Well, a brief word on Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in early March that there was no sign whatsoever that they were moving to resume their nuclear program, and Trump's own director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, in written testimony to the Senate, said there was no evidence of any Iranian intentional, uh, progress towards nuclear enrichment.