The Latest: Trump reminds world of long-ago NKorea warnings

WASHINGTON – The Latest on President Donald Trump’s statements related to North Korea (all times local):

2:55 p.m.

President Donald Trump is reminding the world that he’s long warned about the dangers posed by North Korea’s nuclear program.

Trump tweeted a compilation video Thursday that includes edited footage of an interview he did with NBC’s “Meet the Press” nearly two decades ago.

In the interview, Trump said he’d be willing to launch a pre-emptive strike against North Korea if negotiating “like crazy” didn’t work. And he describes the country as “sort of wacko.”

Trump tweets that he’s “been saying it for a long, long time. #NoKo.”

Trump earlier Thursday singled out China following reports that Chinese ships transferred oil to North Korean vessels at sea in violation of U.N. sanctions over the North’s nuclear weapons program.

A spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry said Wednesday China has strictly enforced trade restrictions.

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12:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump is attacking China following reports that Chinese ships improperly transferred oil to North Korean vessels at sea, saying there “will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!”

Trump said on Twitter Thursday that China had been “Caught RED HANDED,” adding he was “very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea.”

Trump did not provide additional details.

The South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo cited unidentified officials this week as saying Chinese ships transferred oil to North Korean vessels some 30 times since October.

China’s foreign ministry has defended its enforcement of U.N. sanctions. A ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday she had no information about the latest report, but said China has strictly enforced trade restrictions.