Chinese President Xi Jinping asked US President Donald Trump in April for a period of 100 days to strengthen its sanctions against North Korea before Washington imposed any sanctions of its own on Chinese companies linked to Pyongyang, Japanese media reported on Monday.

The two sides agreed that the United States would wait 100 days for China to put pressure on North Korea over the latter's missile and nuclear tests before adding Chinese companies to its sanctions list, Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported, citing sources.
The deal was reportedly similar to a 100-day plan to discuss trade between the two countries, also agreed by Trump and Xi in April.

In early April, Trump suggested in an interview with the Financial Times that China should use its influence over North Korea, but Washington was prepared to act unilaterally if it did not secure Beijing's agreement on this issue.

Pyongyang's nuclear program and missile tests have been the cause of worry for its neighbors, Japan and South Korea, and their allies.

China, in turn, have expressed disapproval of Seoul's decision to deploy US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) on its territory in response to the North’s missile and nuclear activity. However, the floor leader of the South Korean ruling Democratic Party, Woo Won-shik, said last week that THAAD might be sent back to the United States due to its lack of parliamentary approval.