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What is China hoping for from the summit?

Beijing appeared coolly supportive of the second summit. On Tuesday, Chinese foreign spokesperson Lu Kang said his country “was pleased to see that the situation is developing in the direction that China has advocated”, adding a note of skepticism about the outcome.

“From the reports we can see that the government and people of Vietnam have made thoughtful preparations for this meeting. We hope that the outcomes of the meeting will be worthy of such preparations.”

On Wednesday, state media covered the events of the summit live and state-run editorial in the Global Times proclaimed: “Nothing is impossible to overcome.”

Beijing’s ease about the summit likely stems from confidence that China will remain a key player in the process, as a facilitator and advisor to North Korea, according to analysts. Through multiple visits to China before and after the first summit with Trump, Kim has signalled China’s continued role in the process.

Kim visited Beijing in January when negotiations for the second summit were underway and this weekend he traveled to Hanoi by way of a two-day train journey through China - similar to his grandfather Kim Il-sung who traveled through China before arriving in Vietnam to meet Ho Chi Minh in 1958. When Kim traveled to Singapore for the first summit, the young leader traveled in a Boeing 747 operated by China’s national carrier Air China.

“It does not only indicate the unique status China plays as a facilitator, but also proves to Beijing Kim’s willingness to expose vulnerabilities only to the Chinese, entrusting them with his safety,” Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center wrote in the blog38 North.

China is also counting on the fact that the process will not be easy. An editorial in the Global Times this week noted: There is a serious lack of mutual trust between the US and North Korea... Both sides have been playing the game with their own chips from the outset, making the denuclearisation process somewhat fragile.”

“As long as the process is gradual and incremental, it is seen as manageable for China, creating numerous channels [and] opportunities for Beijing to exert influence,” Sun wrote.

