The second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, held on February 28, produced no substantial outcomes in the goal of denuclearizing North Korea.
- Another state with significant stakes in the North Korean crisis is China, who is closely observing the U.S.-North Korean relations with ambivalence.
- North Korea remains China’s closest ally and trading partner and the potential of normalized relations with the U.S. threatens China’s traditional sphere of influence on the Korean Peninsula.
- At the same time, North Korea’s increasing isolationist approach and nuclear capability threatens China’s hard security interests, with the worst-case scenario being U.S. troops on China’s borders.
- It is important that Washington understands and includes Beijing’s role in any strategic and diplomatic calculations when dealing with North Korea. [The Cipher Brief, March 5, 2019]
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