Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 5 (PTI): Veteran CPI(M) leader and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has lavished praise on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for putting up a "tough" resistance against "imperialist" America better than the Communist-ruled China.

Addressing a CPI(M) district committee meet at Kozhikode on Wednesday, he said North Korea was showcasing a better example in defending "imperialist" forces. The CPI(M) polit bureau member also said there was a general criticism that China's fight against imperialist forces was not living up to the expectations of the people.

"North Korea has been adopting a tough anti-US stand. North Korea has successfully withstood the pressure exerted by the US," Vijayan said.

The chief minister's statement came days after a flex board of the North Korean leader, brought out as part of a programme of CPI(M) in Idukki district, was removed by the party after it triggered a controversy.

The local leaders of the Left party later clarified that Kim's photo was included by "mistake". Kim, in his New Year's Day address, has said North Korea's nuclear weapons can reach anywhere in the US and threatened that he has a nuclear button on his desk. Hitting back, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned that his "nuclear button" is "much bigger and more powerful" than the one controlled by Kim as the White House said it was keeping all its options on the table to curb Pyongyang's atomic programme.