US President Donald Trump on Friday said a military option
against North Korea was "locked and loaded," his latest salvo in an
escalating war of words with Pyongyang's nuclear-armed regime.
"Military
solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea
act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!" Trump
tweeted.
The US president's Twitter missive ratcheted
up his already bellicose rhetoric with Kim over North Korea's weapons
programme, as Beijing appealed to the two leaders to dampen their fiery
exchange.
A day prior, Trump had hardened his warning
that Pyongyang would face "fire and fury" if it kept threatening the
United States, saying maybe his tough talk "wasn't tough enough."
Trump
also warned North Korea it should be "very, very nervous" of the
consequences if it even thinks of attacking US soil, after Pyongyang
said it was readying plans to launch missiles towards the Pacific
territory of Guam.
Pyongyang
said the scheme to target the island, a key US military outpost in the
western Pacific, was intended to "signal a crucial warning" as "only
absolute force" would have an effect on a US leader "bereft of reason."
Beijing
on Friday pleaded with the US and North Korea for restraint, urging the
two parties "to be cautious with their words and actions."
China
has repeatedly urged a resumption of long-dormant six-party talks to
peacefully resolve the crisis, but its position has been overshadowed by
the emerging brinkmanship between Trump and Kim.
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