On July 21, during remarks at the Aspen Security Forum, Tony Blinken threatened that if China doesn’t do anything to rein in North Korea’s behavior, the U.S. will. Blinken said he has told his Chinese counterparts that Washington wants Beijing’s help in handling the North Korean “nuclear program” and denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. He said the U.S. would bolster its defense alliances with Japan and South Korea if China refrained from intervening, reported the South China Morning Post.
Directing his remarks at China, Blinken said: “We believe that you have unique influence, and we hope that you will use it to get better cooperation from North Korea. But if you can’t or if you won’t, then we’re going to have to continue to take steps that aren’t directed at China but that China probably won’t like because it goes to strengthening and shoring up not only our own defenses but those of Korea and Japan—and a deepening of the work that all three of us are doing together.” [https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-at-aspen-security-forum-fireside-chat-moderated-by-nbc-news-chief-washington-and-chief-foreign-affairs-correspondent-andrea-mitchell/]
