A look at things to watch for during Xi Jinping's two-day visit for talks with Kim Jong Un. It's the first trip by a Chinese president to Pyongyang in 14 years. By hyungjin1972 & KimTongHyung
In this June 18, 2019 photo, people watch a TV news program reporting about Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to North Korea with a file footage of Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea. From nukes to huge food aid shipments to a shared skepticism about the United States, Xi and Kim will have a long list of topics to discuss when Xi heads north Thursday, June 20.
But their relations have cooled in recent years, and Kim may have frustrated Xi with his aggressive pursuit of nuclear missiles capable of striking the United States and the execution of Kim’s powerful uncle, Jang Song Thaek, who had close ties with China. China has at times faithfully implemented tough U.N. sanctions on North Korea, and Beijing’s data show its imports from North Korea plunged by 88% and exports to the North by 33% in 2018.
But some analysts say there could be a limit to the cooperation, and that China isn’t likely to offer anything to North Korea that would challenge the United States and U.N. sanctions, such as resuming imports of North Korean coal or other banned items or offering stronger military cooperation.Past visits to North Korea by Beijing’s leaders have been followed by massive Chinese economic assistance to the impoverished North.
North Korea has regular food shortages, but the problem is thought to have gotten worse this year because of drought, flooding and U.N. sanctions that have blocked fuel and fertilizer shipments. U.N. food agencies said in a joint assessment published in May that about 10 million people in North Korea faced severe food shortages.Xi may also try to persuade Kim to resume nuclear talks with the United States, something he could present to Trump if they meet at the G-20 summit in Japan next week.
“One positive thing for the nuclear negotiations is that Xi will likely urge Kim to show a stronger commitment to dialogue and refrain from provocations like weapons tests,” said Wi Sung-lac, a former South Korean nuclear negotiator.The Xi-Kim summit may also be another sign that an anti-U.S. united front is emerging among China, Russia and North Korea — old Cold War-era allies.
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