CHINA'S XI JINPING HAS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE TO QUELL THE MADNESS OF NORTH KOREA'S REGIME

North Korea's "successful" launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile weeks ago, after various failed attempts in recent years, certainly represents a clear and present danger to world security, particularly of course in the Asia-Pacific region. 

China's president Xi Jinping, of all the current world leaders, both in Asia and abroad, has got by far the most influence on Pyongyang and Kim Jong-un's rogue regime. Not just influence, but leverage as well. 

The heat is now on Xi to use China's historically close bosom buddy alliance of sorts with North Korea, to thwart any possibility of a global conflict developing as a consequence of the rogue North Korean dictator's mindnumbing grand stupidity and ignorance. 

Quite possibly Xi may well have to literally threaten Jong-un with trade and economic sanctions. That must be a last resort though, because all they will do is make more innocent and already starving and impoverished North Koreans suffer even more.

Nonetheless, the crazy Kim Jong-un and his despotic regime must not be allowed to continue to put world security at flashpoint with more mindless propagandist war games. If Xi is any statesman he will do everything he can to stop it.