US renews threat of strike on North Korea as China urges calm

The US ambassador to the United Nations is not ruling out an American strike on North Korea if Pyongyang tests another nuclear device.

Nikki Haley spoke on several US television networks, praising China’s involvement in trying to pressure North Korea to cease missile testing.

She also criticised the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, as unstable and paranoid.

Ms Haley told NBC’S Today Show: “We are not going to do something unless he gives us reason to do something”.

When asked what would happen if North Korea tests another missile, Ms Haley told NBC: “I think then the president steps in and decides what’s going to happen.”

The Trump administration has been working to rally support behind its efforts to pressure Pyongyang into abandoning its nuclear ambitions and ceasing all aggression.

US president Donald Trump spoke to the leaders of China and Japan to discuss the matter on Sunday.

Chinese president Xi Jinping called for restraint in dealing with North Korea during the call with President Trump.

State broadcaster CCTV quoted Mr Xi as telling the US leader that China strongly opposes North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme, which violates United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hopes “all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation” on the Korean peninsula.

The White House said Mr Trump and his Chinese counterpart reaffirmed the “urgency of the threat posed by North Korea”.

Mr Trump has repeatedly promised that China will earn a better trade deal with the US if it helps to exert pressure on its allied neighbouring nation.

Northkoreahasbeenaggressively pursuing a decades-long goal of putting a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile and conducted two nuclear tests last year alone, which would have improved its knowledge on making nuclear weapons small enough to fit on long-range missiles.

South Korean officials say there is a chance the country will conduct its sixth nuclear test or its maiden test launch of an ICBM some time close to the founding anniversary of its military today.

Ms Haley said the US is working with China to pressure North Korea on the missile and nuclear testing and other issues, including the detention over the weekend of a US citizen.

She said the detentions are North Korea’s effort to “have a bargaining chip” for talks with the US.

“What we’re dealing with is a leader who is flailing right now and he’s trying to show his citizens he has muscle,” she said.