Kim Jong-un’s visit to China is likely to force next steps after the Singapore summit

• The visit to China of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, is significant for two distinct reasons.
• It is evidence of the continuing calm in the Korean peninsula for nearly a year since the thaw between Pyongyang and Washington that culminated in the Singapore summit in June 2018.
• The meeting also coincides with the resumption of trade negotiations this week between U.S. and Chinese delegations in Beijing.
• Expectations are that the dialogue between the regional neighbours could impact the trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.
• Whereas Mr. Xi is keen on securing sanctions relief for Mr. Kim, U.S. President Donald Trump will be equally eager that his peace deal continues to resonate in the region and beyond, notwithstanding the practical hurdles it has encountered.
• Formal negotiations between North Korea and the U.S. have made little headway since the Singapore summit.
• Access to North Korea’s nuclear installations has proved elusive to U.S. officials.
• The uneasy calm that has been sustained on the peninsula for over a year now is no doubt a respite from Pyongyang’s successive nuclear tests to rattle the U.S. mainland.

The Hindu