On its own North Korea's latest missile test seems relatively harmless.
But against a backdrop of growing tension between neighbouring China and the West it presents an almost impossible problem for the Biden administration.
As an immensely powerful economic and military adversary to the west China is a valuable neighbour to poverty-stricken, under-resourced and militarily inferior North Korea.
China has a shifting relationship with North Korea but Beijing may see its unpredictable neighbour as an increasingly useful asset.
As the only possible peace-maker with North Korea China can use its neighbour as leverage in its soaring global expansion.
Beijing shows worrying signs of aggression towards strategically important Western ally of Taiwan, China's neighbour which it wants to annexe.
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An emboldened North Korea may become increasingly dangerous in the coming months, accelerating its nuclear and missile ambitions capability.
Much of North Korea's military might and logistics may come from China which is also believed to be providing aid to it.
So North Korean aggression has to be taken seriously by America and South Korea, where 28,000 US troops are based.
And this could also affect Britain as our aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth later this year heads to the region and will inevitably face threat, cyber or otherwise from China.
It is a year since the previous North Korean ballistic missile test and this latest provocation signals two main things.
It shows Pyongyang's ballistic capability is becoming marginally but nevertheless more sophisticated and is progressing.
The Kim regime has pressed on with developing its strike ability despite attempts to calm down its weapons development.
And every test ordered by Kim Jong-un is usually a sign that the regime is desperate to get the US's attention.
Kim Jong-un was deeply wounded by the Trump administration backing out of negotiations and failure to lift sanctions against Pyongyang.
Most of North Korea's population is desperately poor, many are starving and its dysfunctional regime is squandering badly needed resources on weapons.
But Kim has to keep up the pretence of being a strong leader, standing up against the evil West, whilst promising a better future for the isolated country.
This regime relies heavily on paranoia about the west, without which it cannot survive.
Without Kim's strong man posturing without a perceived threat from outside he and his regime amount to little.
Except if they have increasingly powerful China neighbour on their side.
