Will China rein in North Korea?

NORTH Korea's failed missile test on Sunday provides an opportunity for the United States to press for more stringent sanctions and for China to demonstrate its willingness to curb Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

Even though the missile blew up, the attempted launch was a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. This means the US can now ask for additional sanctions. Clearly, those in place aren't enough. If they were, North Korea wouldn't have been able to conduct over the years five nuclear tests and a series of ballistic missile tests.

The Pyongyang regime is working overtime to develop a long-range missile capability, one that will enable it to deliver a nuclear weapon to the continental United States.