The world is yet to know the details of what transpired through the trans-Atlantic ether when China’s President called his American counterpart last Saturday. In point of fact, Xi Jinping’s message was as timely as it was appropriate, most importantly his appeal to President Trump to avoid rhetoric or action that would worsen tensions on the Korean peninsula.

The message to a Head of State, given to an overdose of rhetoric and confrontationist bluster, must be deemed critical not least because China happens to be North Korea’s biggest economic partner and source of aid.

Trump has urged China to exert pressure on North Korea to halt a nuclear weapons programme that is nearing the capability of targeting the United States.

Somewhat diplomatically, Beijing has skirted the core issue while addressing its homilies to the White House. For one thing, it has not been as robust as the West in denouncing the successive ICBM tests, let alone reports that the second launch is capable of striking at New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, aside from Alaska.

For another, in geopolitical terms, it remains closer to Pyongyang than it is to Washington. Significant no less was the timing of Xi’s phone call ~ in the immediate aftermath of Trump lending a new dimension to the crisis by turning it into a personal confrontation between him and Kim Jong-un.

He has warned the North Korean leader, ever so intent on pursuing his nuclear programme, that he would “truly regret” hostile acts against US territory, such as Guam, or US allies. Of a piece with his rhetoric was his caveat that US military options were “locked and loaded” for use, if Pyongyang “acted unwisely”.

The scenario has reached a direly critical stage, and there has been no indication over the past few days that the phone call from Beijing has been able to “unlock” and “unload” America’s options. Small wonder that Trump’s tweet from his golf resort in New Jersey has ignited alarm across the world, even a rebuke from the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who has promptly cautioned the US President, saying “I consider an escalation of rhetoric the wrong answer.”

This has been matched with the tweet from Britain’s foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, that Britain was working with the US and other countries in the region to end the diplomatic crisis. There is little doubt that the Western powers are astonished over Trump’s attack, almost personal ~ “This man Kim Jong-un will truly regret what he is doing and he will regret it fast.”

A possible solution to the crisis is not competitive bluster, still less precipitate action from either side. An earnest essay towards a formula lies through negotiations.

This isn’t the moment for gung-ho language or another missile launch. Better sense and peace must prevail.