For years, one of China’s worst fears was the outbreak of war on the Korean peninsula. Now that anxiety is being replaced by nagging worries about peace.
With direct talks between North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in set to take place on Friday, and a potential meeting between Mr Kim and US President Donald Trump later this year, China sees a danger of being outflanked diplomatically by Washington.
“Any bilateral deals could take place at China’s expense if Beijing doesn’t have a seat at the table,” said Zheng Yongnian, director of the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore and an expert on Chinese foreign policy.