Beijing dismisses report on US talks

Beijing has dismissed a report by Japan-based Kyodo News regarding the April meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump as "sheer groundless remarks that don't even deserve refutation".

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the comment on Monday during a daily news conference in Beijing when asked about the report.

The report quoted an unnamed "source" as saying China's ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, asked on behalf of the Chinese government during the meeting for the United States to fire Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the US Pacific Command, in return for exerting more pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.