US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Tensions rose when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cancelled a trip to North Korea last Friday.

Tit for tat words

American media reports that President Trump ordered the abrupt cancellation after Pompeo received an unfriendly letter from a senior North Korean official. Trump tweeted that he feels insufficient progress has been made in denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Trump said that since the US has taken a tougher trade stance with China, Beijing has not helped with the denuclearization. Negotiations with North Korea would most likely not resume until after the US resolves current trade issues with China, Trump said.

China’s Foreign Ministry sent a diplomatic note to the US protesting President Trump’s blaming of China for stagnating denuclearization talks.

China said it supports the US and North Korea resolving the denuclearization issue through diplomacy in line with their agreement in Singapore in June.

China’s role

The issue of nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is a crucial issue in north Asia and one of the most complex global issues. Geopolitically, North Korea is very important to China. A nuclear crisis would be an enormous threat to China’s security and to its modernization process. As a giant neighbour with a long-standing influence on North Korea, China cannot avoid taking a role in resolving the Korean nuclear issue. Peace and stability are essential for China’s development.

Analysts say there is no evidence that China is refusing to cooperate with the US on North Korea.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, is calling on China to continue playing a constructive role in resolving all issues in Asia. Seoul underscores the importance of taking a long view when it comes to diplomacy and dialogue.

Hong Van