China openly discussing collapse of North Korea

By Thomas Lifson at American Thinker   "China has sent an unmistakable signal that Kim Jong-un had better not rely on the historic alliance between China and North Korea to resist President Trump's demands.  In fact, as he dallies with his troop of teen sex slaves, he had better keep in mind that Beijing is wondering what it might be like with the Kim dynasty out of the way.

"The Chinese way of delivering such a harsh message is to use a third party – preferably one without a policy role, but who clearly speaks for the ruling elite.  Someone, for instance, like the dean of international studies at Beijing University (the Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Stanford of China)." . . .

Yalu River bridges from China into North Korea

. . . China has long supported North Korea because it serves as a buffer from US troops stationed in South Korea, but Barthelemy Courmont, a China specialist at the Institute of Strategic and International Relations in Paris, said Pyongyang's downfall could be good for Beijing, especially economically.
"China now believes that a collapse of North Korea would not necessarily be to its disadvantage," Courmont said.
"If North Korea were to fall in a peaceful way, China would be best positioned for its reconstruction. China is the only country capable of overseeing the reconstruction of North Korea," he said.

. . .

 . . . "This sounds more like good cop/bad cop than outright conflict.  As with President Reagan, Trump is regarded as a bit of a madman, who might just start a nuclear war.  Even Kim Jong-un understands that North Korea cannot win such a conflict.  But now, the old passivity and delay that characterized American policy toward North Korea for the past three decades is over."