Talks with North Korea still best option
Political leaders in the region and elsewhere, including the US, should take the threats from Pyongyang seriously.
North Korea’s missile tests and its nuclear weapons programme should be seen as dangerous. But, it does not help for America to say that China and other countries are not doing enough to deal effectively with North Korea.
Beijing has realistic concerns. If it cut off all help to its ally with much tougher sanctions, and the regime and economy in North Korea collapsed, there would be chaos and China would have to deal with a flood of refugees crossing the border. Washington has put more pressure on Beijing, but it must be realistic. It calls on the North to suspend its ballistic missile programme, and yet continues to hold joint military exercises with South Korea.
Instead of talking about possible conflict, all nations with an interest in the issues on the Korean peninsula need to try to talk and cooperate. After all, strength comes through unity. It is surely in the interests not just of China and the US, but also countries like Japan and Russia, for North Korea to cease its nuclear weapons programme.