China does not want a war with the US. They need the trade and the US dollars in their economy. They are also focused on India. If the PRC gets into it with India as well as in North Korea the PRC is in trouble
This statement will, I think, stop the Norks cold. They know they can’t expect help if they start anything.
China is saving face by not completely abandoning an ally and gets to say it isn’t backing down to US demands but still looks reasonable. This is a MAJOR change of policy from the PRC and a MAJOR win for the Trump administration.
It will also mean that the NORKS should stop with the threats because they don’t want to have their protector cut ties with them completely.
Flame away if you disagree I’ve got the asbestos monitor hooked up to the computer but I really think this is a huge win for Trump and will defuse the situation.
Ultimately, NK is China’s “cat’s paw,” a cut-out for a future attack on the USA. Let’s say in a few years NK fires 40 missiles at the USA and ten get through and five cities are obliterated in mushroom clouds. The economy of the USA is totally wrecked in the aftermath. The era of the superpower USA is over. China rules all of Asia undisputed master.
So in retaliation we blow NK off the map. Who cares? China laughs, their NK “cat’s paw” strategy worked perfectly.
I’d tell China privately that any ICBM coming out of NK will be treated as an ICBM coming out of CHINA, period. The NK missiles say “Made In China” under the new NK paint job. Any attack from the NK “cats paw” is an attack by CHINA.
Only then will China move to curtail their puppet state NK.
Sounds about right to me.