[ti:Pence Warns North Korea Not to Test Trump’s ‘Strength and Resolve’] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has warned that the United States [00:06.80]has not ruled out using military force [00:11.00]to deal with an increasing nuclear threat from North Korea. [00:18.24]He spoke of recent U.S. military strikes in Syria and Afghanistan [00:25.80]as evidence of President Trump's "strength and resolve." [00:33.36]The warning came as Pence visited South Korea [00:38.68]at the start of a four-nation Asia trip. [00:43.96]He spoke during a joint appearance in Seoul [00:48.08]with South Korea's acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn. [00:55.12]Pence urged the U.S. to move away from a previous policy [01:01.12]of what he called "strategic patience." [01:05.80]He said this policy had failed to produce lasting progress with North Korea. [01:14.24]"For more than two decades, the United States and our allies have [01:17.68]worked to peacefully dismantle North Korea's nuclear program, [01:21.60]and alleviate the suffering of their people. [01:24.44]But at every step of the way, [01:26.24]North Korea answered our overtures with willful deception, [01:30.12]broken promises and nuclear and missile tests." [01:34.52]Pence noted that during the past 18 months, [01:39.28]North Korea had carried out two nuclear tests [01:43.68]and more missile tests than ever before. [01:48.68]Kim Jong Un's government conducted its latest missile test on Sunday, [01:56.20]just before Pence's arrival. [01:59.92]The test failed when the missile exploded shortly after launch. [02:07.20]While Vice President Pence is in Asia, [02:11.20]he is expected to seek support for increasing pressure on North Korea [02:18.40]to end its nuclear and missile development programs. [02:24.43]"All options are on the table," Pence told reporters at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) [02:32.68]that separates North and South Korea. [02:37.44]However, U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster [02:44.04]said he is not currently considering a military option. [02:50.24]On a TV news program, McMaster said U.S. officials [02:55.52]are aiming to contain the threat peacefully. [03:00.64]The Trump administration is reportedly considering [03:05.32]new economic restrictions on North Korea. [03:10.60]These could include an oil embargo, [03:14.80]a global ban on its airline, stopping cargo ships, [03:20.44]and punishing Chinese banks that do business with North Korean companies. [03:28.16]China remains an important partner for the U.S. on North Korea. [03:35.40]But Chinese officials have not supported strong measures against North Korea, [03:42.52]which is a close ally of China. [03:46.72]Those measures could cause instability at China's border [03:52.32]and increase U.S. power in the area. [03:57.72]A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called for restarting [04:03.20]multi-party talks that ended without agreement in 2009. [04:10.00]He also spoke out against deploying the THAAD missile defense system in South Korea. [04:18.96]Both Pence and Hwang repeated their support for THAAD [04:24.64]as a way to protect against North Korean missile strikes. [04:30.96]In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe [04:36.44]said a "diplomatic effort is important to maintain peace" on the Korean Peninsula. [04:44.92]But he said "dialogue for the sake of having dialogue" is useless. [04:52.44]"We need to apply pressure on North Korea [04:56.36]so they seriously respond to a dialogue," [05:00.36]Abe told a parliamentary meeting. [05:04.64]He urged the international community, [05:07.76]especially China and Russia, [05:10.60]to play a bigger role in the issue. [05:15.04]I'm Bryan Lynn. [05:17.64]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM