Words intensify over North Korea

Over the last week verbal warnings intended for North Korea and from North Korea have intensified.

China’s statement

“The game of chicken between Washington and Pyongyang has come to a breaking point,” the Global Times, a nationalist Chinese newspaper managed by the state-run People’s Daily, wrote earlier this week. “If North Korea carries out a sixth nuclear test as expected, it is more likely than ever that the situation will cross the point of no return.... All stakeholders will bear the consequences, with Pyongyang sure to suffer the greatest losses,” the outlet warns.

The White House statement

A white House statement said this week that President Trump aims to "pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners.... We are engaging responsible members of the international community to increase pressure on the DPRK [the initials of North Korea’s official name] in order to convince the regime to de-escalate and return to the path of dialogue."

North Korea reponds

In response, North Korea has warned China there will be “catastrophic consequences” to their bilateral relations if China ramps up economic sanctions against it.

North Korea faulted China for failing to criticize actions taken by the Trump administration, while continuing to take punitive measures against Pyongyang. North Korea’s state-run media said of China’s public statements, “Th[at] country is talking rubbish that the DPRK has to reconsider the importance of relations with it, and that it can help preserve the security of the DPRK, and offer necessary support and aid for its economic prosperity, claiming the latter will not be able to survive the strict ‘economic sanctions’ by someone.”
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Sources: Aljazeera, Chicago Tribune, Daily Mail, Express