China Delivers Humiliating Slap to Kim Jong Un
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have reached dangerous levels over the past few weeks, sparking concern in China that a second Korean War may be right around the corner.
China has no desire to see the United States topple the North Korean regime and plant a pro-Western government right on China’s borders. In fact, it appears that China may be taking actions to rein in North Korea.
An editorial published in the Global Times, a newspaper widely believed to be the unofficial mouthpiece of China’s Communist Party, warned that North Korea would suffer if it conducted another nuclear test.
“The game of chicken between Washington and Pyongyang has come to a breaking point. If North Korea carries out a sixth nuclear test as expected, it is more likely than ever that the situation will cross the point of no return. All stakeholders will bear the consequences, with Pyongyang sure to suffer the greatest losses,” the editorial read.
The editorial seemed to suggest that China wouldn’t be surprised if the U.S. launched a strike against North Korea if the country conducted another nuclear test — and perhaps more importantly, the article never suggested that China would respond to such an action.
“Once the US launched surgical strikes against North Korea’s nuclear and missile facilities, the Pyongyang regime will be forced to make a life-or-death decision. By then, if North Korea does not resort to strategic retaliation, its deterrence will lose ground and Washington will play it like a fiddle,” stated the article.
China has already taken unprecedented action to show its displeasure with North Korea, such as turning away coal shipments from the country.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants the Chinese to do more to stop North Korea, but that if they are unwilling to help him, he is willing to go it alone against North Korea.
China is in a tough spot right now. Right now, their best option is to exert whatever pressure they have to get North Korea to calm down before the United States takes action.
The end of the Global Times editorial — urging Pyongyang to step back — might be just that kind of pressure:
“Yet given North Korea’s current national strength as well as its peculiar geopolitical circumstances, it must learn how to be flexible as well as resolute. Taking a small step back will make a conflict easier to solve. This does not mean being a coward, but being courageous to face the challenge in a different way.
“The North Korea nuclear issue is like a puzzle filled with bombs. Pyongyang must not strike a match and detonate it. What it needs is big wisdom to realize a soft landing.”
The question is whether the North Koreans will listen.
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