U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday. And the American leader said that more sanctions, penalties on North Korea were on the way. China factors in because it`s North Korea`s only major ally.

美国总统唐纳德·特朗普昨日和习近平主席对话。特朗普表示，会对朝鲜实施更多的制裁和惩戒。中国的地位举足轻重因为中国是朝鲜唯一的盟友。

What triggered this?

到底是怎么回事呢?

North Korea test-fired an ICBM, an intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday morning. It was the first time in two months that the communist country had tested a major weapon. But it`s done this several times before. Despite international sanctions and the fact that the United Nations says its weapons programs are illegal.

周三早上，朝鲜发射了洲际弹道导弹。这是最近两个月以来，朝鲜首次测试大规模的武器。但是之前，尽管国际社会的制裁以及联合国表示，核武器项目是违法的。

Something was different this time around, though. The ICBM reached an altitude as high as 2,800 miles. That`s higher than any other weapon North Korea has ever launched. And though it`s splashed on off the Japanese coast, North Korea said it was capable of hitting the entire U.S. mainland.

不过，这次的情况有所不同。这次洲际弹道的高度高达2800英里。其发射高度高于朝鲜之前发射的任何武器。尽管这个弹道在美国海岸上只是水花飞溅，但是朝鲜表示，这个弹道足以摧毁整个美洲大陆。

Some scientists agree, but one analyst said it probably wouldn`t have gone as far with the heavy nuclear warhead on it.

一些科学家表示同意，但是一位分析人士表示，有那么沉重的核弹头，它不会飞那么远。

North Korea said the missile did have a, quote, super large heavy warhead attached. Either way, the U.S. is pushing China to do everything it can to convince North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programs. American officials say these programs endanger world peace, peace in the region and the U.S., and that America has a long list of additional economic sanctions it can place on North Korea.

朝鲜表示，这枚导弹有一枚“超级大”的重型弹头。美国正敦促中国尽其所能说服朝鲜停止其核计划和导弹计划。美国官员表示这些项目威胁了世界和平，地区和平和美国和平，美国对朝鲜也将实施长期的经济制裁。

The Asian country sees its weapons as a deterrent, a strength that would discourage other countries from attacking and it says that no force on earth can stop North Korea`s advance.

这个亚洲国家把它的武器视为一种威慑力量，它的力量会阻止其他国家的进攻。朝鲜表示，地球上没有任何力量可以阻止朝鲜的前进。

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday. And the American leader said that more sanctions, penalties on North Korea were on the way. China factors in because it`s North Korea`s only major ally.

What triggered this?

North Korea test-fired an ICBM, an intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday morning. It was the first time in two months that the communist country had tested a major weapon. But it`s done this several times before. Despite international sanctions and the fact that the United Nations says its weapons programs are illegal.

Something was different this time around, though. The ICBM reached an altitude as high as 2,800 miles. That`s higher than any other weapon North Korea has ever launched. And though it`s splashed on off the Japanese coast, North Korea said it was capable of hitting the entire U.S. mainland.

Some scientists agree, but one analyst said it probably wouldn`t have gone as far with the heavy nuclear warhead on it.

North Korea said the missile did have a, quote, super large heavy warhead attached. Either way, the U.S. is pushing China to do everything it can to convince North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programs. American officials say these programs endanger world peace, peace in the region and the U.S., and that America has a long list of additional economic sanctions it can place on North Korea.

The Asian country sees its weapons as a deterrent, a strength that would discourage other countries from attacking and it says that no force on earth can stop North Korea`s advance.