North Korea threat: China must 'FEEL THE PAIN' or Kim Jong-un WW3 threat will continue
NORTH KOREA's allies in China need to break off all economic relationship with Pyongyang or risk harsh consequences from the United States, warned former George Bush aide Michael Waltz.
North Korea has been allegedly receiving oil from China despite UN sanctions banning most forms of trade with Pyongyang.
Bejing pledged to help defuse tensions between North Korea and the international community amid fears of World War 3 but was reported to have transferred fuel to North Korean boats.
Mr Waltz said: "I still would like to see us absolutely focussed on China and choking off and encouraging the Chinese to choke everything off North Koreans.
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“Remember, they still have a very long land border with North Korea. They have an oil pipeline."
The former Green Beret said China has so far failed to meet diplomatic expectations – despite having promised US President Donald Trump to help rein in the rogue East Asian nation.
Mr Waltz also dismissed suggestion of starting a naval blockade around North Korea, adding the move would "tie down" the US fleet in the area and losing the United States all military advantage.
He added: "We sanction them and we bring our European allies, the Australians, East Asians and others on board to basically start having the Chinese feel the pain here."
Reports from South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo suggest China transferred oil to North Korean ships nearly 30 times since October despite backing UN sanctions banning oil trade with Pyongyang.
North Korea celebrates latest missile launch and Kim Jong-un visits a flour factory
Wed, December 6, 2017
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is seen during the inspection of a potato flour factory in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang
I still would like to see us absolutely focussed on China and choking off and encouraging the Chinese to choke everything off North Koreans
Speaking to Fox News, he continued: "What we’d risk with a blockade is that we tie down our Pacific fleet while the Chinese are still supplying the North Koreans because to them it is more of our problem than it is a Chinese problem.
“We do risk also a slow escalation at sea and we could risk losing the benefit of surprise by a precision strike on the nuclear programme and on the leadership."
A naval blockade on North Korea would stop the inflow of oil, machinery and raw materials that could benefit the rogue nation’s nuclear regime.
The United Nations Security Council imposed tough sanctions on North Korea after its continued missile testing.
But North Korea continued to ramp up its aggressive rhetoric against the United States – with Kim Jong-un warning US President Donald Trump Pyongyang of a "nuclear button" on his desk ready to be pressed.
