World

US Warns China Its Patience Is Running Out As North Korean Aggression Continues

REUTERS/Jason Lee

Daily Caller News Foundation logo
Ryan Pickrell China/Asia Pacific Reporter
Font Size:

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has demanded China do more to rein in an increasingly aggressive North Korea.

North Korea is believed to be preparing for a sixth nuclear test. This test will potentially be different from previous tests and may have a higher explosive yield. Nikki Haley warned Thursday that America’s patience on this particular issue is wearing thin.

“I have no patience for it, and it is not helping anyone. This administration has no patience for it,” she said. “Look, can we change the way North Korea thinks? No. They’re not going to cave. China can, and that’s the part we want to look at.”

“I know China says they’re worried about North Korea. I know China wants to see North Korea stop with the testing. Prove it. Prove it,” she said.

President Donald Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week in Mar-a-Lago, where the two leaders will address important issues affecting the bilateral relationship. Haley said that Trump will raise the issue of North Korea during the meeting.

“I think you’re going to see them talk very much about the responsibility that we believe China has,” she said. “The fact that we don’t have the patience to sit here and see it go round and round any more. And the fact that we want action.”

She alleged that China is still importing North Korean coal despite China’s claims in February to have suspended all coal shipments. Coal is a primary source of revenue for the reclusive regime.

Haley said that if North Korea makes another provocative move in violation of U.N. resolutions, she expects to see a response from key players like China and Russia.

“If something happens, if this continues down the path that we’re going on, I can tell you we’re not just going to sit down and say ‘Oh, they did it again,'” she said. “This is something that is very serious. This is something the administration is making a priority. And this is something we absolutely expect China and Russia to respond to.”

Haley’s comments reflected those of Trump, who has repeatedly criticized China for not doing its part to prevent its neighbor and treaty ally from launching missiles and testing nuclear weapons.

“It’s a very dangerous situation, and China can end it very quickly in my opinion,” Trump commented in February. “I think China has tremendous control over North Korea, whether they say so or not. They could solve the problem very easily if they want to.” China has been largely unresponsive, often pushing the burden back on the U.S.

Beijing asserts that it has faithfully fulfilled its obligations as a responsible state actor and member of the U.N. Security Council, and claims that the “cause and crux” of the crisis on the peninsula is America’s hard-line policies.

Follow Ryan on Twitter

Send tips to ryan@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.