First, why would anyone be surprised at the intransigence of China!
They are NOT a friend nor ally of the US – I would say they are one step away from being an overt enemy.
Beijing and Washington clashed over a US push to blacklist cargo ships for violating !international sanctions against North Korea, including one vessel South Korea said it seized after an illegal transfer of oil.
The confrontation, playing out in the jockeying at the United Nations, comes amid an escalating war of words between Trump and Xi over China’s willingness ? to tightly enforce sanctions following Pyongyang’s nuclear and long-range missile tests.
China’s critics say it has agreed to tough-sounding Security Council resolutions, while modulating ! how strictly the sanctions are actually enforced.
China denies it violates sanctions.
The Trump administration has been arguing for a campaign of “maximum pressure” on Pyongyang, but some US officials say they have mounting concerns that China is leaving room for a partial evasion of the sanctions, depriving Trump of some of the leverage he seeks.
Earlier this month, American officials shared with the UN declassified intelligence reports that they said supported ! Washington’s position that 10 vessels be formally designated as sanctions violators.
South Korea disclosed yesterday that it had seized one of the listed ships.
Crowded shipping lanes and air space. Five languages [Russian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and English]. Two unstable / unpredictable leaders [Donnie and Kimmie] and two opportunistic ones [Putin and Xi]. Maybe, …some bad technology [NK] or reckless seamanship [unfortunately, our Navy]. Itchy trigger fingers. Red lines put down.
The need for face saving…
Just think of the endless scenarios: a Chinese airliner shot down by the US. Or, US airliner, or military plane, knocked out by NK. An accidental artillery attack on SK. A collision between a US naval ship and a Chinese ship. An interdiction in the Sea of Japan gone bad.
On and on…
The possibilities for an outright catastrophe are truly endless!
I just do NOT trust Donald John Trump to handle such a crisis.
Lobster on the Prairie 