[Seruzawa]

I’m not exactly sure what benefit China gets from NK being a nuclear armed psychopath that antagonizes the world’s still most powerful country with the world’s most powerful Navy.

[ichabod1]

Because that way the Norks have to take all the heat for being dangerous homicidal maniacs but in reality it allows China to appear 1st world and civilized, when they’re really not.

[TigerLikesRooster]

If you look around, you can still see people eager to make whatever little money they can from China. China also bought Hollywood and many D.C. swamp creatures. China also feels she is too big to fail.

[FranklinsTower]

As in chess, the threat is often psychologically more powerful/influential than the actual reality of the situation.

Very dangerous game of chicken.

[TigerLikesRooster]

That is, China sees no real downside for letting N. Korea run wild.

[enduserindy]

As long as the rest of the world sees china and north korea as two separate nations, china gets everything.

[Brilliant]

It thinks that Trumps alternatives are limited and that the only real alternative is military action. Military action will put Korea and Japan at risk though so if he pursues military action the South Koreans and Japanese will split with the U.S. and that will reduce U.S. influence in the area which is their real goal.

[jmacusa]

I agree. I can’t imagine China wanting to risk trade deals with the US in favor of playing nice with a nuclear armed psychopath at their front door.