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≡ N. Korea Says 'Window Of Opportunity' Closing With US
A high-ranking North Korean diplomat says relations with the United States are not progressing notably, warning that Washington needs to make the next move toward improvement.
Jo Chol-su, head of the North Korean foreign ministry's American affairs department made the remark after delivering a keynote speech at the Moscow Nonproliferation Conference on Friday.
He said the North has done everything it can to show its willingness to move forward and called for a similar move by the U.S. to gain its trust.
Jo said the North was waiting patiently for U.S.' answer by the end of this year, and added that the window of opportunity was closing little by little every day.
He also claimed that it will be the biggest mistake if the U.S. does not take practical steps to withdraw its anti-North Korea policies, adding that the future progress of talks depends entirely on the choices the U.S. makes.
South Korea's top nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon and U.S. Special Envoy for North Korea Mark Lambert were present at the session, but the officials reportedly did not hold official talks other than a brief exchange of greetings.■[2019.11.09]
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≡ Trump Rules Out Complete Rollback Of China Tariffs
U.S. President Donald Trump says he has not agreed to anything in terms of scrapping tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump made the remark to reporters at the White House Friday, saying that China was pushing for the removal of some tariffs as part of an agreement.
He added that China wants to make a deal a lot more than he does.
His remark is in contrast to what Beijing's Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said on Thursday that negotiators from the two countries agreed to a “phased cancellation” of tariff hikes imposed on each other's products if talks made progress.■[2019.11.09]
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≡ Hong Kong Student Dies After Fall During Clashes With Police
Over in Hong Kong, a college student died after sustaining severe head injuries during a protest, triggering fresh outrage from the pro-democracy movement.
Authorities say Chow Tsz-lok, a 22-year-old student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology died Friday morning after suffering brain damage.
Police said Chow was found unconscious Sunday after police teargassed protesters in a parking garage, where he was believed to have fallen one storey.
The cause of his fall and circumstances of his death remain under investigation.
Chow's death is believed to be the first fatality linked to police action during the ongoing anti-government protests.
Thousands of Hong Kongers held vigils Friday night for the student.■[2019.11.09]