China, as North Korea's closest ally, has itself started to feel the heat and earlier this year decided to suspend the purchase of North Korean coal until the end of the year. Poverty-stricken North Korea still relies on China for its basic necessities, be it trade, oil, electricity or other essentials. "China has great influence over North Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won't. If they do, that will be very good for China, and if they don't, it won't be good for anyone," Mr Trump told the Financial Times recently.

Source: Bangkok Post April 05, 2017 21:33 UTC