Yet when North Korea conducted its fifth and most powerful nuclear weapons test on Friday — underscoring once again the failure of international efforts to halt the nuclear program — Beijing’s response amounted to pap. The foreign minister urged North Korea to “stop escalating” its provocative behavior and abide by United Nations resolutions that forbid nuclear tests. For a long time, it was widely assumed that North Korea pursued nuclear weapons to ensure its survival as a state. That decision, which has angered China, makes it harder for Americans and the Chinese to cooperate on North Korea. That is unlikely, even though it should be obvious to Beijing that allowing North Korea’s nuclear program to continue is a real threat to China and its interests in the region.

Source: New York Times September 10, 2016 01:41 UTC