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QUESTION: Thank you, Matt. China, South Korea, and North Korea. China’s standing committee chairman, Zhao Leji, met with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un last weekend and pledged to strengthen high-level exchanges between China and North Korea and build solidarity with anti-U.S. countries. My question is: Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink, currently visiting China – will he discuss these issues with his counterpart?

MR MILLER: So certainly every time that we engage with our Chinese counterparts, whether it is the Secretary at his level or Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink at his, one of the things that is always on the agenda is stability on the Korean Peninsula and preventing North Korea from realizing its nuclear ambitions.

QUESTION: And China is threatening South Korea not to participate in the U.S. actions to keep China in check. What is the U.S. position on this?

MR MILLER: I don’t have any comment on that.

QUESTION: Why not?

MR MILLER: So I’m not sure which reports you’re referring to, but if you want to send them to me, I’d be happy to take a look and see if I have any further comment.

QUESTION: Because they are China and Russia —

MR MILLER: What’s that?

QUESTION: Because China and Russia and North Korea, they want solidarity.

MR MILLER: I just don’t – I’m not sure what’s – hold on.

QUESTION: Why not we – South Korea is going to get the U.S.’s side. Why they —

MR MILLER: I think – I think we have made clear that we stand in solidarity with our South Korean allies over a number of years. I’m just not sure what specific report you’re referring to. That’s why I didn’t have a comment on it.

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Source: U.S. Department of State

Speaker: Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson

Format: Press Briefing

Link to Original Source