China is showing a willingness to act as a mediator to help resume dialogue between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the 10th, citing sources.

Multiple sources familiar with the matter stated that China is looking to play an active and constructive role in reviving U.S.-North Korea diplomacy.

They added that this underscores China's intention to remain a central axis in Korean Peninsula negotiations while President Trump attempts to restart dialogue with North Korea.

According to two sources, the Chinese government plans to support any credible efforts that could lead to the resumption of U.S.-North Korea talks.

Meanwhile, as North Korea has strengthened its ties with Russia—which could serve as a greater diplomatic and military leverage for Pyongyang—while also cementing solidarity with China, observations suggest that Chairman Kim may present higher-level demands to the U.S. in exchange for returning to the negotiating table with Trump.

Some analysts suggest that expectations of North Korea adopting such a stance may be influenced by Kim's disappointment with the outcomes of his past summits with President Trump.

Observers point out that the humiliation Kim felt due to the collapse of the 2019 Hanoi summit remains an issue that must be addressed prior to any resumption of dialogue.

One source mentioned that Kim is likely to demand sanctions relief and U.S. recognition of North Korea's status as a nuclear-armed state before agreeing to hold U.S.-North Korea talks.

Another source said that the Chinese government will likely seek to confirm whether the U.S. side has pre-established specific outcomes it expects from a U.S.-North Korea meeting.

An official explained that China, which views North Korea as an important leverage against the U.S., is keen on mediating a meeting between President Trump and Chairman Kim, but this would be limited to cases where Beijing's own interests are judged to be protected.

The possibility of a U.S.-North Korea summit taking place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, this November—previously raised through foreign media reports—was also mentioned again.

Another official reported that President Trump's attendance at APEC has become virtually certain, and that there have been preliminary moves that could be interpreted as preparations for a meeting with Chairman Kim.

It was reported that a special envoy visited Shenzhen and Hangzhou in China in mid-August, and that these preparatory efforts accelerated following the U.S.-China summit held in Beijing last May.

Meanwhile, some analysts suggest that President Trump's consecutive remarks regarding North Korea were an attempt by the U.S. administration to divert international attention away from the war in Iran.

However, North Korea has not yet publicly responded to President Trump's repeated offers for dialogue.
 
(Photo: Yonhap News)