China steams into North Korea nuke row warning Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un to ‘hit the brakes’ on threats of nuclear war
CHINA has called on the US and North Korea to "hit the brakes" and work towards a peaceful resolution to their tense nuclear standoff.
In a sign of growing concern, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, to call for the two countries to work together to contain mounting tensions.
He said the two countries must ensure no one sparks "an incident on their doorstep," according to a statement posted on the Chinese foreign ministry's website.
"The most important task at hand is for the US and North Korea to 'hit the brakes' on their mutual needling of each other with words and actions, to lower the temperature of the tense situation and prevent the emergence of an 'August crisis,'" said Wang.
The ministry quoted Lavrov as saying tensions could rise again with the US and South Korea set to launch large-scale military exercises on August 21.
"A resolution of the North Korea nuclear issue by military force is completely unacceptable and the peninsula's nuclear issue must be peacefully resolved by political and diplomatic methods," said Lavrov.
China is North Korea's main economic partner and political backer, although relations between Beijing and Pyongyang have deteriorated amid the North's continuing defiance of China's calls for restraint.
On Wednesday, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, continued a visit to China following talks the day before with his Chinese counterpart that touched on North Korea.
Speaking to reporters after viewing a Chinese military exercise outside the northeastern city of Shenyang, Dunford said he told Gen. Fang Fenghui that the US hoped diplomatic and economic pressure would convince North Korea to end its nuclear program, but that it was also preparing military options.
"We hope for a peaceful resolution but we needed to seriously have a conversation about what might happen if there was military action," Dunford said.
Dunford earlier visited South Korea and stops next in Japan.
His visit to Asia comes after President Donald Trump last week declared the US military "locked and loaded" and said he was ready to unleash "fire and fury" if North Korea continued to threaten the United States.
The North Korean leader this week decided against launching four missiles against America’s Pacific territory of Guam.
His country’s state media reported that, although it was ready to launch a strike, it would watch what “the foolish Yankees” do before taking a decision.
It warned that Kim could change his mind “if the Yankees persist in their extremely dangerous reckless actions”.
The dictator appeared to have blinked first in his brinkmanship with Donald Trump.
The pair have traded barbs in the past week, with the US president warning of “fire and fury” if the rogue state kept up with its threats.
Earlier US media had been told that satellites have observed DPRK mobile missile launcher movement - suggesting an intermediate-ballistic missile may be being prepared.
And chillingly, a satellite image in the background of one of the pictures shows America's Anderson Air Force Base in Guam where 6,000 US troops are based.
The North’s state news agency said Kim examined the plan for a long time and discussed it with senior military officials.
Kim said the hermit kingdom will attack the US territory if the "Yankees persist in their extremely dangerous reckless actions on the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity".
He added that the United States should "think reasonably and judge properly" to avoid shame, the propaganda-spouting news agency said.
The country is now awaiting Kim's approval before pressing the button.
North Korea has previously threatened to fire four Hwasong-12 rockets to land in the sea 17 miles from Guam ‘by mid-August’.
Secretary of Defense James Mattis yesterday warned "it could escalate into war very quickly" if the Secret State fires at the US.
The Pentagon chief added: "If they shoot at the United States, I'm assuming they've hit the United States... If they do that, then it's game on," reported.
"You don't shoot at people in this world unless you want to bear the consequences."
US President Donald Trump has warned North Korea it is “locked and loaded” and to expect “fire and fury” if the threats are carried out.
The UN has already passed sanctions as North Korea continues to develop its weapons programme and carry out test launches.
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In a statement released last week by the North Korea’s KCNA media channel, the dictatorship vowed to mercilessly wipe out the provocateurs making desperate efforts to “stifle” their leader.
Meanwhile, doctors claimed that Kim might have become irritable, irrational and aggressive because he was taking steroids to treat gout, brought on by his love of Emmental cheese and French red wine.
New York expert Dr Rock Positano said: “This fellow could be manifesting roid rage.”
Guam is situated around 1,500 miles to the west of the Philippines and just over 2,000 miles from North Korea.
Crucially, the island is also a strategic US military outpost and is home to more than 6,000 US service personnel.
American military bases occupy nearly 30 per cent of Guam’s land, including the Andersen Air Force Base and the Naval Base Guam.
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