May 05 (NHK) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping over the phone about North Korea. The conversation comes ahead of an expected summit between the United States and the North.
Abe and Xi spoke for about 40 minutes on Friday in the first-ever phone conversation between the leaders of the 2 countries.
Abe said he told Xi it is important for North Korea to take concrete steps toward denuclearization.
He added that they both agreed to closely cooperate on the issue, and to steadily implement UN Security Council sanctions resolutions against the North.
Abe said he and Xi welcomed the fact that the joint declaration from the inter-Korean summit seeks "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula.
The prime minister also referred to a planned visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Japan on Tuesday. Li will attend a 3-way meeting with leaders of Japan and South Korea.
Abe said he and Xi agreed to improve bilateral ties by increasing exchanges this year, the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-China peace and friendship treaty.
Source: ANNnewsCH
