What some of you are missing is that China will be reluctant to put any significant pressure on north Korea as China deals 2 billions dollars in trade annually with North Korea.
Link here
and here
Plus, the logic of not only pissing off a trading partner but, an erratic crackpot next door whose armed with nuclear missiles isn't exactly a bright move on china's behalf. They will if anything, try to play this down so they can calm the North Koreans down without any real force.
I personally believe this is just a show of domestic force in order to show the elite in the government that he still holds power while at the same time showing his poorer countrymen that his iron fist is still clenched.
On an international scale. I believe this is just a show of force to try and intimidate what he perceives as spineless cowards who won't actually do anything outside of harsh words to stop him.
Related Note; north Korea has been working on a nuclear program going all the way back to the 80's
The Agreed Framework signed by the United States and North Korea on October 21, 1994 in Geneva agreed that:
* North Korea would freeze its existing nuclear program and agree to enhanced International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards
* Both sides would cooperate to replace the D.P.R.K.'s graphite-moderated reactors for related facilities with light-water (LWR) power plants.
* Both countries would move toward full normalization of political and economic relations.
* Both sides will work together for peace and security on a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.
* And that both sides would work to strengthen the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.
Link here
Also for those of you who haven't paid attention to the news today North Korea claims it is no longer bound by the truce that was sign in the 1950's with South Korea. This is just another example of the temperament that China has to deal with next door which further explains the reason why china will want this to settle down as quietly and peacefully as possible.
Last one here