Beijing, June 19 -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry warned on Tuesday against speculating that Beijing may use President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit to North Korea as leverage when discussing the China-US trade war with US President Donald Trump at the G20 Summit in Osaka later in June, the ministry's spokesman, Lu Kang, said on Tuesday.

"Some believe that China may use this visit [of the Chinese leader to North Korea] as leverage against the United States, but I would like to stress that it is better to refrain from speculation ... We hope that the public will form a clear idea of the upcoming visit and of our commitment to further developing friendly relations with Pyongyang and refrain from trying to make wrong and unjustified conn...