Thursday, March 29, 2018

A Deal With North Korea Won't Happen Without China

For months, China seemed to be a side player as relations improved between North Korea and South Korea.

Eventually, state media in China and North Korea confirmed that the visitor aboard the armored mystery train from North Korea to Beijing was none other than Kim Jong Un. For the first time in his six-year reign, Kim had finally left North Korean soil to meet the leader of his country's oldest benefactor, China.

In the past, by contrast, North Korea launched missiles as China held a range of significant international events, embarrassing and annoying Beijing.

No matter the tensions of the moment, China and North Korea are as close and interdependent as "Lips to teeth," as Mao Zedong put it.

Finally, for China, North Korea represents a useful buffer, separating it from the nearly 30,000 U.S. troops based on South Korean soil.

How should Washington interpret the Beijing meeting? For one thing, it should make abundantly clear to the Trump administration that, no matter what, North Korea and China will continue to share long-term strategic objectives.

Bolton, infamous in North Korea for his disinterest in good-faith diplomacy and disarmament talks, could leave the U.S.-North Korea summit dead on arrival, potentially paving a dangerous path for the president toward conflict.

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