China Warns Of Impending War Between US And N/Korea

North Korea, which is developing nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, is facing increased pressure from the Trump administration to curtail work on the programs.

Trump had last week sent a United States naval group to the Korean peninsula — warning Pyongyang that the US could take military action against North Korea’s growing nuclear ambitions.

North Korea responded Friday with a vast military parade to celebrate the birth of its founding father, Kim Il-sung, and warned that it was prepared to take the “toughest” action unless the US ended its “military hysteria”.

A statement from the Korean People’s Army, released through the state news agency KCNA, said President Trump had “entered the path of open threat and blackmail” against North Korea.

Pyongyang, military vehicles and tens of thousands of soldiers filled Kim Il-sung square as a band played rousing military music, the instruments falling silent for oaths of loyalty to the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un.

The isolated nation is celebrating the 105th birthday on Saturday of its first leader, Kim Il Sun. Analysts say the country appears to be preparing a missile launch or nuclear test that may coincide with the anniversary.

China has now warned of an impending war, stressing that no one would win in a military conflict between the U.S. and North Korea.

“The United States and South Korea and North Korea are engaging in tit for tat, with swords drawn and bows bent, and there have been storm clouds gathering,” China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, said in Beijing, according to Xinhua, the state news agency.

“If they let war break out on the peninsula, they must shoulder that historical culpability and pay the corresponding price for this,” Mr. Wang said.

“Once a war really happens, the result will be nothing but multiple loss.

Wang, in keeping with China’s preferences, encouraged dialog. “It can be official or unofficial, through one channel or dual channels, bilateral or multilateral,” he said. “China is willing to give support to all of them.”

China, North Korea’s most important ally and trading partner, has been trying to steer between the Trump administration’s demands for it to do more to stop North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and its longstanding reluctance to risk a rupture with the North.