WASHINGTON \u2014 President Donald Trump discussed North Korea\u2019s strongest nuclear test yet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, as the U.S. proposed crippling new sanctions and world leaders tussled over whether pressure or dialogue was the best way to rein in the rogue nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The White House stressed the U.S. and Chinese leaders\u2019 joint commitment to ridding the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons. But differences were clear on how best to reach that remote goal as fears escalate over Pyongyang\u2019s emerging capability to strike America with a nuclear-tipped missile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China\u2019s state news agency said Xi expressed China\u2019s adamant position about \u201cresolving the nuclear issue through talks.\u201d Trump noted China\u2019s \u201cessential role\u201d and pledged more communication with China \u201cto find a solution as early as possible,\u201d Xinhua reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Trump projected an entirely different message on dialogue in a phone call a day earlier with British Prime Minister Theresa May. The American leader declared \u201cnow is not the time to talk to North Korea,\u201d according to a White House readout, released shortly before Trump\u2019s call with Xi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conversations were part of a flurry of calls Trump has made to world leaders after North Korea\u2019s test explosion this weekend of what it called a hydrogen bomb. Trump said the U.S. is considering all options to defend itself and allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Washington needs backing from allies, cooperation with traditional adversaries China and Russia is more significant. The U.S. needs both to put the squeeze on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Both are economic partners of North Korea and veto-wielding permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Wednesday, the U.S. circulated a draft Security Council resolution that would ban all oil and natural gas exports to North Korea, potentially devastating its economy. The measure also would freeze all of the North\u2019s and Kim\u2019s foreign financial assets, and outlaw North Korean textiles exports. Countries also would be prevented from hiring and paying North Korean workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Beijing and Moscow\u2019s support for such tough action was doubtful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPresident Xi would like to do something,\u201d Trump told reporters after a 45-minute call with the Chinese leader. \u201cWe\u2019ll see whether or not he can do it. But we will not be putting up with what\u2019s happening in North Korea. I believe that President Xi agrees with me 100 percent. He doesn\u2019t want to see what\u2019s happening there, either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked if he was considering military action against North Korea, Trump told reporters: \u201cCertainly that\u2019s not our first choice, but we will see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Trump looked to increase the pressure, Russian President Vladimir Putin pushed in the opposite direction, warning against cornering Pyongyang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The North\u2019s nuclear test \u201cflagrantly violates\u201d international law, Putin said, but he urged talks and not more sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe should not give in to emotions and push Pyongyang into a corner,\u201d Putin said after meeting the president of close U.S. ally, South Korea, in Russia on Wednesday. \u201cAs never before, everyone should show restraint and refrain from steps leading to escalation and tensions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Trump\u2019s military, diplomacy and intelligence chiefs briefed Congress on the North Korean threat and U.S. strategy to address it. Democrats accused the administration of sending confusing signals to adversaries and allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe message changes from day to day and for myself, I\u2019m not quite sure what the policy is,\u201d Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said. He said he learned nothing from the closed-doors briefing by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats that he hadn\u2019t already read in newspapers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is an unbelievable disconnect between the people in that room and their boss,\u201d Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, another Democrat, said. \u201cAnd that freaks the hell out of me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump traded threats with Pyongyang last month after it conducted two long-range missile tests. At one point, he warned of \u201cfire and fury like the world has never seen\u201d if North Korea continued its threats. At another, he credited Kim for a brief pause in missile tests that ended days later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, backed Trump and said he may be employing a \u201cgood cop, bad cop\u201d approach. Pressuring China and North Korea could force negotiations for a peaceful solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Otherwise, he said, \u201cwar is the next inevitable option.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey and Darlene Superville in Washington, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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