Trump thanks 'helpful' Xi for support over Vietnam summit

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) thanked his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for being "helpful in his support" of the impending summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, slated to be held in Vietnam on February 27 and 28.

He noted that the "last thing China wants is large scale nuclear weapons right next door," in a tweet posted on February 24 (local time).

"President Xi of China has been very helpful in his support of my meeting with Kim Jong Un. The last thing China wants is large scale nuclear weapons right next door. Sanctions placed on the border by China and Russia have been very helpful. Great relationship with Chairman Kim!" Trump stated.

"Chairman Kim realizes, perhaps better than anyone else, that without nuclear weapons, his country could fast become one of the great economic powers anywhere in the World," he said while noting that he would be leaving for the scheduled summit in Hanoi on February 25.

Trump added, " Because of its location and people (and him), it has more potential for rapid growth than any other nation!"

The US President's comments come in the run-up to the much anticipated second US-North Korea summit in Vietnam this week.

Trump last met with Kim at the first US-North Korea summit held in Singapore in June in 2018, where Pyongyang announced its landmark decision to completely denuclearise to further economic development.

Both the leaders are slated to arrive at concrete steps towards North Korea's complete denuclearisation during the second summit this week. However, the United States has maintained that economic development options would only be worked on "should North Korea follow through on its commitment to complete denuclearisation" - a stand that was reaffirmed by a White House press release issued recently.