McDonough: China Has to Understand a ‘Nuclear N. Korea Is Not a Stable Scenario’
TAPPER: “Much bigger issue, obviously, is North Korea and their nuclear test. They claimed it was an H-bomb. The U.S. just flew a B-52 bomber over the Korean Peninsula, nuclear- capable of carrying -- it's capable of carrying nuclear weapons -- to warn North Korea. Next week, the House is going to vote on new sanctions. What new steps does the administration want to see against North Korea? With all due respect, what is being done now doesn't seem to be working.”
MCDONOUGH: “Well, look, we obviously did, as you just pointed out, underscore to our South Korean allies last night the deep and enduring alliance that we have with them. Last night was a step towards reassurance in that regard and that was important. As it relates to what steps we'll continue to take. Well what we'll continue to do is work not just with South Korea and Japan but also with China and Russia to deeply isolate the North Koreans. I'm not telling you that I think that this is ultimately going to get -- that this is going to resolve this issue overnight. We're going have to continue to squeeze the North Koreans until they live up to their prior commitments including going back to 2005, when they committed to be rid of their nuclear weapons. That's the baseline requirement they have to rejoin the international community. Until they do it, they'll remain where they are which is an outcast -- unable to provide for their own people.”
TAPPER: “China has been reluctant to squeeze North Korea. And they're really the only ones with the real leverage to do this, because they apparently had made the calculation that they would rather have what passes for stable -- a stable North Korea on their border than they would have -- that there are issues about a nuclear North Korea. Have they changed their mind at all?”
MCDONOUGH: “Well, you saw the President Xi stand on the south lawn of the White House in September and reemphasize China's support for the denuclearization of that peninsula. We take them at their work and we'll continue to work with them and make sure that they understand that a nuclear North Korea is not a stable scenario. And so they have to understand that.”