U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham says that President Donald Trump is being "played" by North Korea and China is pulling Pyongyang back from negotiations with the U.S.

Graham, who is known as a hardliner on North Korea issues, made the remarks on Sunday appearing on CBS's Face the Nation. 

The Republican senator said that North Korea is playing the same old game that it has played with every other U.S. president. 

He said that although Trump is being tough on China, China is still "pulling North Korea back" from negotiations with the U.S., adding that the president needs to make sure that Beijing and Pyongyang know that he's different from everybody else.

Graham urged the Trump administration to put deadlines regarding the North's repatriation of the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War. He also called on the U.S. to restart joint military exercises with South Korea in the region.

[Photo : KBS News]