US President Donald Trump on Friday once again upped the ante in his war of words with North Korea, warning Pyongyang that the US military is "locked and loaded" in the event of a misstep by the totalitarian state.

Ignoring appeals from China for restraint, Trump launched another rhetorical salvo at the North to keep its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes in check.

The latest Twitter threat from the Republican billionaire leader, who took office in January, came as concerns swelled worldwide that a miscalculation by either side could trigger a catastrophic conflict on the Korean peninsula.

"Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong-un will find another path!" Trump wrote from his golf club retreat in New Jersey, where he is spending two weeks.

Earlier on Friday in Beijing, China - Pyongyang's main diplomatic ally - had urged Trump and Kim to tone down the saber-rattling. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang called on both sides to avoid "going down the old path of alternately showing strength and continuously escalating the situation".

"We call on the relevant parties to be cautious with their words and actions, and contribute more toward easing tensions and enhancing mutual trust," Geng said.
Beijing has repeatedly called for a resumption of long-dormant six-party talks to peacefully resolve the mounting tensions, but its position has been overshadowed by the emerging game of brinkmanship between Trump and Kim. -

Source: Khaleej Times