Japanese Warships to Join US Aircraft Carrier in East China Sea

In Syria, President Donald Trump demonstrated what happens when a country “crosses the line;” however, North Korea’s weapons program makes the situation on the Korean peninsula much more complex.

Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort on Friday as well. Trump has promised in interviews that he is willing to take unilateral action against North Korea if necessary, although he has not specified what he would do. Trump said Xi was “ok” with it and added that they get along. Trump said later on Wednesday the United States is prepared to tackle the crisis surrounding North Korea without China if necessary.

On Tuesday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer suggested Trump had put North Korea “clearly on notice”, before adding the threat itself – of a North Korean missile strike on the US mainland – doesn’t seem to be based in reality.

Chief among Moscow’s concerns will be the deployment of the U.S. Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group to the Korean Peninsula. “Very powerful”, Mr Trump told the Fox Business Network.

“As far as the move of the Vinson, she’s stationed there in the Western Pacific for a reason. U.S.A.”, Trump had said in a second tweet.

Existing Chinese sanctions on the North have yielded little, Trump argued at the two-day meeting ended Friday, calling for even tougher measures.

Hua Chunying, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, said she was unaware of a South Korean media report stating that 150,000 Chinese troops had been deployed to the North Korean border after U.S. air strikes on Syria last week.

North Korea marks the 105th anniversary of the birth of state founder Kim Il Sung on Saturday.

On Tuesday, North Korea warned of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression.

The journalists were invited by North Korea’s current leader Kim Jong-un, the late Kim’s grandson.

In reaction to last week’s US missile launches against Syria, North Korea warned of “catastrophic consequences” if the United States attempts a pre-emptive strike.

Options on the table include a complete ban of North Korean coal exports, a limit on its oil exports and on its ability to send workers overseas.

North Korea has reacted angrily to the US’s show of force in the region, saying it is ready for war.

“This goes to prove that the United States reckless moves for invading the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have reached a serious phase”, North Korea’s official news agency KCNA quoted a spokesman of the country’s foreign ministry as saying.

‘We hope that the relevant parties do not adopt irresponsible actions.

North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper went even further, threatening that the country had the ability to bomb the United States mainland. In May, South Korea will hold presidential elections.

The officials said that the Trump administration is keeping military options on the table, but indicated that the White House was focused first on diplomatic and economic solutions.