US sends message to North Korea with missile strike on Syria

Washington’s air strikes against the Syrian government while US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping dined in Florida would serve not only as a warning to the unruly North Korean regime, but also pile pressure on Pyongyang’s ally Beijing, diplomatic and military experts say.

Rising tensions over North Korea’s accelerated nuclear armament programme are expected to top the summit agenda for both leaders, especially at their formal meeting on Friday.

But it remains to be seen whether Beijing is willing to make any substantial compromise and how Pyongyang will react to such a warning, with observers saying a defiant North Korea will most likely turn a deaf ear to any message.

The airstrikes involving more than 50 Tomahawk missiles on a Syrian airfield has been hailed by defence analysts in the United States as “an unequivocally, loud, clear message” to American adversaries around the world, including Russia, Iran and North Korea.

Trump met his national security team before the dinner, sat through the meal while the action was carried out and briefed by Defence Secretary James Mattis afterwards, CNN reported.