North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, in this picture released to Reuters on March 28, 2018. Ju Peng/Xinhua via REUTERS
Yun Sun, 38 North: The Second Trump-Kim Summit: Where Is China?
On the eve of the second summit between the top leaders of the US and North Korea in Hanoi, most attention is focused on what might be the concrete substance/steps of North Korea’s denuclearization and the reciprocal measures that the US will offer in return that come out of the summit. In sharp contrast to the pivotal role China played regarding North Korea during the first year of the Trump administration, China’s role in influencing North Korea’s strategic calculus no longer attracts the spotlight. However, the idea that Beijing has been marginalized in peace and denuclearization talks with North Korea ignores the quiet, yet active consultation happening behind the scenes.
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WNU Editor: China's presence is there .... China's shadow looms large over second Trump-Kim summit (Al Jazeera).