川普出訪亞洲期間或考慮前往朝鮮半島非軍事區
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters “we'll take a look” at visiting the Korean Demilitarized Zone during his planned five-nation Asian trip next month.
South Korean media have speculated that Trump could go to the heavily-armed DMZ, the narrow strip of land separating South and North Korea that provides a vantage point looking into the reclusive and isolated nation.
Trump did not directly answer whether such a visit – similar to the one Vice President Mike Pence made in April – would be seen as provocative by the North Koreans.
“Every American president has visited the DMZ, and President Trump should too,” says a former U.S. ambassador to South Korea and assistant secretary of state, Christopher Hill.
Hill, now dean of the Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, tells VOA, however, “timing is also something to weigh."
Ned Price, a former National Security Council senior director and assistant to President Barack Obama agrees, adding, that “the North Koreans would interpret any visit as provocative.”
Price tells VOA what the president says or does while at the DMZ“would determine just how the North Koreans react. Any blustery language –- such as what we've seen in recent weeks -- would be hugely detrimental to the cause of a diplomatic de-escalation.”
Trump, during a five-nation trip to Asia next month, is looking to ramp up pressure against North Korea's nuclear weapons development, but also promote American economic interests in the region.
The White House said Monday that Trump's November 3-14 visit will include stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. The president is to hold talks with the heads of state at each stop.美國總統川普星期一對記者說，在他計劃下個月訪問亞洲五國期間，將會探討訪問朝鮮半島非軍事區的問題。
韓國媒體揣測，川普總統可能會前往重兵把守的非軍事區。在這個分割朝鮮半島南北雙方的狹窄地帶，可以看到與世隔絕的朝鮮。
川普總統沒有直接回答這樣的訪問是否會被朝鮮視爲挑釁行爲。副總統彭斯今年四月訪問過非軍事分區。
前美國駐韓國大使和助理國務卿希爾說：“美國總統都訪問過非軍事區。川普總統也應該去。”
現在丹佛大學科貝爾國際研究學院擔任院長的希爾對美國之音說：“時機也是一個需要考量的問題。”
前國家安全委員會高級主任並擔任奧巴馬總統助手的普萊斯也持同樣看法。他還說，朝鮮會把任何訪問視爲挑釁。
普萊斯對美國之音說，總統在非軍事區的所言所爲“會決定朝鮮如何反應。任何像我們過去幾個星期裏聽到的激烈言辭都會對緩解緊張的外交努力造成重大負面影響”。
川普總統下個月的亞洲五國之行將謀求加大向朝鮮施壓的力度，迫使其放棄核武器開發，同時還將促進美國在亞洲地區的經濟利益。
白宮星期一說，川普總統11月3號到14號的出訪將包括日本、韓國、中國、越南和菲律賓，並將在每一站與各國的元首對話。
