NO DOUBT North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un’s antics in his hermit kingdom will be one of the key discussions between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping when they meet in Beijing this week.
Trump’s trip to the Far East, until November 14, is his second major foreign trip, following the Middle East and Europe. Trump is on an official visit to countries in Southeast and Northeast Asia, including US allies Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, in addition to China and Vietnam.
Trump’s stint in Beijing makes him the first visiting foreign head of state after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
Fresh out of the congress where Xi fortified his position, political analysts believe he will have a potentially greater appetite for foreign policy risk-taking.
Xinhua reported that Chinese ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai said the two presidents would put aside sufficient time for “top-level, strategic conversation”, which is “extremely important for the development of bilateral relations”.
In China, there will be the usual pomp and ceremony with the guards of honour and a state banquet.
While the White House hasn’t expanded on its Chinese agenda, North Korea and trade between the two nations will no doubt feature prominently.
The Chinese ambassador also expressed his confidence that there would be “significant outcomes” on economic and trade matters at the conclusion of Trump’s China visit.
Economic relations between China and the US, the two largest economies in the world, should continue to be mutually beneficial.
Although Cui said with an increase in economic interdependence between the two countries, “there can only be win-win or lose-lose outcomes”.
On the Korean Peninsula nuclear threat, Cui said China had done all it could on the issue. China was willing to work in favour of “the larger global interest” in the de-nuclearisation of the Korea Peninsula. But it could not resolve the nuclear issue by itself.
Months of rising tensions caused by Kim ordering a series of nuclear and missile tests has stoked talk of war, even fears of World War III.
This past week Kim’s mad world continued to spin on an alternative axis.
Sketchy reports emerged of a tunnel which collapsed killing 200 people when the regime detonated an underground nuclear device last month.
The Chinese were also involved in foiling an assassination attempt on the life of Kim Han-sol, the son of Kim Jong-nam, who was poisoned in Malaysia. Analysts believe that Kim Jong-un ordered both assassinations.
Military analyst Helmoed Heitman said the Asian powerhouse finds itself in a tricky position. It is North Korea’s biggest trading partner and the country’s main source of oil and food. China has stoically opposed harsh international sanctions on North Korea in the hope of avoiding regime collapse and a refugee influx across its border.
But Beijing’s patience was wearing thin as Kim’s shenanigans continue unabated with constant threats to South Korea and missile and nuclear threats.
China finds its self in a catch 22 situation. A unified Korea under South Korea leadership means it would have a US ally on its border. China has maintained North Korea as it has been a useful tool to distract the US and others countries from other situations, like its military expansion in the South China Sea.
The US might have responded more forcefully if it did not have to deal with the North Korea dilemma.
“The former Soviet Union used Berlin in much the same way in the ’50s and ’60s - every time they had a problem elsewhere, they would ratchet-up tension around Berlin,” said Heitman.
It suited China to have North Korea rattle everyone's cage and make idle threats, he said.
So Trump might just be able to persuade Xi and his men to take a harder line to tame Kim. Although it might be too late.
Peters is the Live Editor of Weekend Argus. She is on a 10-month scholarship with the China Africa Press Centre. Instagram: mels_chinese_takeout