The recent visit to Beijing by Kim Jong Un, the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has reaffirmed China's central role in denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.
"The trip affirms China's central role in keeping the peace in the region after a flurry of diplomatic activity had shifted the focus to South Korea (ROK) and the United States," an article by The Economist noted on Wednesday.
Jamie Tarabay, a senior producer at CNN Digital, said the visit sent a message to all parties that there can be no deal with Pyongyang without China's involvement.