preemptive

China: “We Will Prevent A North Korea Regime Change”

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, left, is greeted by his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Manila, Philippines, Aug. 6, 2017. (AP/Bullit Marquez)
In a troubling repudiation of President Donald Trump’s demands that Beijing do more to rein in its bellicose neighbor, Beijing, through the state-owned media, cautioned the US president on Friday that it would intervene (militarily) on North Korea’s behalf if the US and South Korea launch a preemptive strike to “overthrow the North Korean regime,” according to a statement in the influential state-run newspaper Global Times.