China briefed US on Kim's visit to Beijing: White House

WASHINGTON -- China has briefed the United States on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Beijing, the White House said Tuesday.

The statement from White House press secretary Sarah Sanders came shortly after North Korea announced its leader's trip and his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, second from right, and his wife Peng Liyuan, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, second from left, and his wife Ri Sol-ju , left, pose for a photo at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (AP-Yonhap)

"The Chinese government contacted the White House earlier on Tuesday to brief us on Kim Jong-un's visit to Beijing," Sanders said in a statement. "The briefing included a personal message from President Xi to (US President Donald Trump), which has been conveyed to President Trump."

The US is in close contact with its allies South Korea and Japan, Sanders said, noting that "we see this development as further evidence that our campaign of maximum pressure is creating the appropriate atmosphere for dialogue with North Korea." (Yonhap)