But what can the Chinese actually do?”Zhao Tong, a North Korea expert from the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy in Beijing, believes there are a number of possible answers. “After the last round of UN resolution sanctions, textile products and clothing is now the most important source of foreign income for North Korea,” says Zhao. He believes turning off the taps could prove an irreversible decision since the pipeline delivering oil to North Korea is old and would corrode and break if left unused. “If things settle down very quickly … that will give Xi Jinping some leeway to take more radical measures against North Korea,” Zhao predicts. “You’re talking about 10,000 different pieces of [North Korean] artillery ... which could lob shells into the vicinity of Seoul and cause huge damage,” said Tsang.

Source: The Guardian September 04, 2017 05:15 UTC