American politicians have long accused China of unfair competition. But the trade deficit the US has with China is due to market forces and structural differences in their economies.

Unprecedented threats to US national security, coupled with a volatile President besieged by domestic problems makes the threat of military conflict increasingly likely.

As the North Korean regime conducts more advanced missile testing and the U.S. and its allies ramp up rhetoric and weaponry, China must steer all parties toward peace. By focusing on achieving non-proliferation and regional stability, Xi Jinping’s nation can lead the Asian Pacific away from the brink of war.

So far, the war between US President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un over the latter’s nuclear program has been fought only in words. But each turn of the rhetorical screw deepens the risk that, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, “jaw-jaw” could turn into “war-war.”

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un says the United States will pay a “thousand-fold for all the heinous crimes” it has committed against his country. US President Donald Trump warns that North Korea will experience “fire and fury like the world has never seen.” Kim threatens to fire four missiles at the US territory of Guam. Trump promises that Kim “will truly regret it” and “regret it fast” if he follows through on that threat, or issues another.

Donald Trump is running out of patience with North Korea. Using heated language unusual for a US president, Trump recently warned that if Pyongyang threatens to

If North Korea launches an attack that threatens the United States then China should stay neutral, but if the United States attacks first and tries to overthrow

If the Kim regime were to collapse, the United States and China would have common ground for cooperation. Without more technical and forthcoming exchanges, however, the shock of sudden change in the North could result in mutual mistrust and antagonism, reflecting the underlying divergence in American and Chinese long-term geopolitical objectives for the region as a whole.

Since North Korea is nearing its ultimate goal of achieving full nuclear deterrent capability against the United States, we might expect China to now show more rationality and return to the negotiation table. This will reduce North Korea’s hostility towards the U.S. and other countries.

If U.S. policy is determined by passion, ignorance, and myopia, the prospects of maintaining a peaceful relationship are far lower. President Trump is not a stupid man, but until he seeks to educate himself he risks acting stupidly. Then the cost for both nations, and most of Asia, could be quite high.