China hints it will rein in N. Korea
U. S. says it will be watching and waiting but is ready to act
China sent the Trump administration “positive signals” that it will increase economic sanctions to pressure ally North Korea to abandon its development of nuclear weapons and missiles, a threat that has raised the prospect of a military confrontation with the United States, the State Department revealed Monday.
“We’ve gotten a lot of positive signals from the Chinese, but it takes time,” Susan Thornton, acting assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said in a call with reporters. “You don’t know if these kinds of economic pressure will work until it works.”
U. S. diplomats will meet with the Chinese and American allies at the United Nations this month to discuss the way forward, Thornton said. But if the Chinese are unsuccessful, the U. S. will move to increase pressure on North Korea on its own.
“We’re going to be watching what the Chinese do,” she said. “We’re going to work with China and see if we can get
them to do more. And if they decide they’re not going to work with us ... then we’re going to have to change tack and try something else, maybe on our own.”
China is considered key to changing North Korea’s behavior because it is an economic lifeline for its neighbor. But China has been reluctant in the past to use its leverage because its fellow communist country serves as a buffer between Chinese territory and U. S. troops stationed in South Korea. The Beijing government also worries about a flood of refugees crossing into China if it allowed the nation’s economy to collapse.
Thornton said the U. S. is not interested in “conflict or regime change” in North Korea, which is ruled by Kim Jong Un, but it is looking for some kind of signal from the mercurial Kim that his government is willing to stick to its international commitments to abandon its path of developing and testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that could reach the United States.
A missile test Sunday resulted in an explosion almost immediately after liftoff. The test came as a U. S. aircraft carrier sailed in waters off the Korean peninsula and hours before Vice President Pence arrived in South Korea.
Pence warned North Korea on Monday that the “era of strategic patience is over” and that all options are on the table if Kim continues to threaten the region with his missile and nuclear tests. Speaking at the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea, Pence cited U. S. military strikes in Syria and Afghanistan this month as proof of President Trump’s willingness to use force if necessary.
“North Korea will do well not to test his resolve or the strength of the armed forces of the United States,” Pence said.
North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests since 2006, the last in September. It also has tested numerous medium- and long- range missiles since Kim took power in 2011.