[throwaway9980]

I’m not sure why you’re being downvoted. I also agree that it’s hard to see what China’s angle is with NK. It makes sense that Kim is a useful idiot for them and for Putin to rattle the US cage, but at some point it’s just too risky and both those countries share a border with NK.

At what point does Kim become a liability for China or possibly Putin? These seem like the wrong people to be on the wrong side of and unless those guys are OK with his current actions Trump’s “suicide mission” assessment actually sounds accurate.

All of this points to the fizzle you speak of... surely Kim’s masters are going to rein him in.