I think if we could do this we probably already would have. But it's all a distraction. China doesn't want NK to lob a nuke on the WC because it'd be horrible for biz. They do love having a distraction from their economic polices that is based on military conflict, however.
An actual potus as opposed to the poser in chief, could tell China that any nuclear strike on the US, or Japan or NK would be considered a strike emanating from China.
Why would nk attack the USA ? The whole thing isn't bullshit saber rattin that they've done since forever .
That's sort of the point. China has every incentive for NK to NOT attack the US, and such an attack would result in NK's population being eradicated. That would mean the end of the NK state. However, it's obvious that China sees an advantage to NK's provocations towards Japan, SK and the US. If the goal is to wake them up to the possible consequences of a mistake by NK, then letting them know the coseqence to them would be 200 thermonuclear explosions, would get their attention. But, do we really want to get their military attention? I don't think so. Nor do I see a trade war with them as an advantage. Tariffs on cellphones and PCs ... maybe