Trump Threatens North Korea Again; China Calls for Restraint

On Friday, August 11, Donald Trump once again threatened North Korea, stating that American weapons are ready to fire, while Pyongyang accused the U.S. of bringing the Korean Peninsula to the brink of nuclear war. Shortly after the North Korean government's statement that the U.S. President is escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Trump continued his verbal war with the country on Twitter. The official North Korean news agency stated: "Trump is dragging the Korean Peninsula to the brink of nuclear war, and he shouts that 'the United States does not remove the war against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its agenda.'" According to Reuters, Mr. Trump, who is on a working vacation in New Jersey, expressed America's military readiness in decisive terms. He tweeted: "Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!" This remark from the U.S. President came a day after he told reporters that perhaps his threat of "fire and fury" was not strong enough for North Korea. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, also reacted to the verbal tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, stating that this tension has "escalated." He expressed hope that common sense would eventually prevail. China's view on the increasing threats between North Korea and the U.S. was highlighted on Friday, as the Chinese Foreign Ministry called on both the U.S. and North Korea to set aside their sharp verbal disputes. On the same day, a Chinese state newspaper wrote that if North Korea takes the initiative to attack the U.S., China will remain neutral. China, North Korea's most important ally and largest trading partner, has repeatedly called for restraint from both sides since the crisis between Pyongyang and Washington intensified. Now, following North Korea's warning about a potential attack on the U.S. territory of Guam, the viewpoint published in the Chinese state newspaper "Global Times" could serve as a warning to North Korea to avoid such action. In recent days, after the U.S. President warned North Korea of facing "fire and fury," Pyongyang announced that it is preparing a plan for a possible attack on Guam in the Pacific. The "Global Times" noted North Korea's threat, stating: "North Korea must also understand that if it launches missiles and is the first to threaten U.S. territory, and the U.S. retaliates, China will remain neutral in such a case." The state newspaper also added that "if the U.S. and South Korea attack and try to overthrow the North Korean regime and change the political pattern of the Korean Peninsula, China will prevent such actions." Donald Trump, who said on Tuesday that "North Korea will be met with fire and fury if it threatens the U.S.," stated on Thursday that perhaps his previous warning to North Korea regarding the fury and firepower of the U.S. "was not strong enough." Pyongyang, reacting negatively to Trump's threats, has reiterated its potential attack on Guam, which is a significant U.S. base. The official North Korean news agency reported on Thursday that the military plans to complete a plan by mid-August, under which four intermediate-range missiles would fly over Japan and strike near Guam. In response to this threat, Trump referred to Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, saying: "Let's see what he does with Guam. If he does something with Guam, there will be consequences the likes of which nobody has ever seen before." Shortly after these remarks from the U.S. President, James Mattis, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, told reporters that war is "catastrophic" and that the U.S. still prefers a diplomatic approach to the North Korean threat. When asked if the U.S. is prepared if North Korea takes hostile action, he said: "We are ready." Recently, Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles, claiming they could target all of U.S. territory. This event, along with other missile tests by North Korea, prompted the United Nations Security Council to impose new sanctions against it, but Pyongyang has maintained an aggressive stance. The European Union also imposed new sanctions against the country on Thursday.