The road to getting North Korea under control passes straight through Beijing, and former congressman Pete Hoekstra told Newsmax TV the United States needs to keep pressure on both countries for the time being.
During an appearance on "The Joe Pags Show," the Michigan Republican discussed the current state of affairs on the Korean peninsula he said can be managed with the right diplomatic and military moves.
"China really is the leverage point on North Korea," Hoekstra said. "China can get the North Koreans to stop development of their nuclear capabilities and other weapons that they're working on. Don't know whether China can get them to roll it back, but they can stop it, and stop it in its tracks."
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Hoekstra said the other pieces to the puzzle are for the U.S., South Korea, and Japan to "have a united front," and for President Donald Trump and Congress to become more united.
"He needs to reach out to the U.S. Senate, especially, and get people on the same page, so that North Korea and China see a united America," Hoekstra said of the president. "That's probably what they fear the most."
Hoekstra added he has doubts about whether the massive weapons displayed during North Korea's military parade over the weekend were actually in good working order.
"The engine and the motor may be able to propel the truck down the road, but the rockets and the missiles on it, they may not be in great operational shape," he said.
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