The on-again, off-again summit between US President Donald Trump and leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un is finally taking place on Tuesday in Singapore, as the world looks on with bated breaths over what will seep out.
It took tremendous efforts for the two sides to get to this place given the rocky relationship between the two leaders who have openly lashed out at each other on social media and in public speeches.
It seems like it was only yesterday that Trump was threatening the DPRK with "fire and fury" and calling Kim "Little Rocket Man", with the DPRK leader striking back and labeling the US president as "mentally deranged" and a "dotard."
CGTN screenshot of a tweet by US President Donald Trump
Although what the Trump-Kim summit will lead to is anyone's guess at this point, the fact that the two men are willing to sit down face-to-face and talk is already a step towards making the world a little safer.
China has played a major role in bringing relevant parties to the negotiating table, having advocated from the beginning for dialogue as the only viable path for the settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue.
Six-party talks
It all started in 2003 when the DPRK withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, an international agreement aiming to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and technology.
The country made itself clear that it would start developing its nuclear capabilities, rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
September 13, 2005: Top envoys from China, Russia, Japan, the United States, the DPRK, and South Korea pose for a group photo during six-party talks in Beijing, China. /Reuters Photo
In August 2003, the first ever meeting between representatives of six countries, namely China, Russia, Japan, the US, the DPRK and the Republic of Korea (ROK) was held in Beijing, seeking a resolution to the skyrocketing tensions.
Beijing stood its position, calling for resolving the issue through peaceful dialogue.
The six-party talks convened again in 2004 and 2005 –all in Beijing – with a joint statement ensuing after the fourth round, which took place from September 13 to 19, 2005.
The statement explicitly declared that "the DPRK committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs," while noting that the US "has no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or conventional weapons."
Beijing, as the host of the six-party talks, said it hopes to see a denuclearized, peaceful and stable Korean Peninsula, and called on all related parties to offer necessary support during the process.
December 22, 2006: Top envoys from China, Russia, Japan, the United States, the DPRK, and South Korea talk to the press during six-party talks in Beijing, China. /Xinhua Photo
The DPRK pulled out from the talks on April 14, 2009, and announced that it would resume its nuclear program.
China's stand from DPRK's nuclear tests
Pyongyang’s first nuclear tests took place on October 9, 2006, and resulted in an explosion equivalent to about 1,000 tonnes of TNT. The move triggered swift international condemnation.
On the same day, China stated it "firmly opposes" DPRK’s acts, slamming the test as "flagrant and brazen" and calling Pyongyang to honor the denuclearization commitment it made during the six-party talks.
September 16, 2017: DPRK leader Kim Jong Un watches the launch of a Hwasong-12 missile in this undated photo released by Korean Central News Agency. /VCG Photo
The DPRK carried out another test in May 2009 and four years later – after Kim Jong Un came to power – a far larger experiment took place. Experts believed the test was around seven times bigger than the country's first.
Then Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi swiftly contacted the DPRK ambassador, expressing China's strong opposition to the move.
Two more tests followed in 2016, with one reaching "spectacular success," according to Kim, and the other triggering a powerful 5.3-magnitude earthquake.
July 5, 2017: Kim Jong Un with scientists and technicians of the DPRK Academy of Defence Science after the test-launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 in Pyongyang. /VCG Photo
The Chinese government condemned both acts, urging the DPRK side to immediately halt any activities that might worsen the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
But it wasn't just nuclear tests. Pyongyang also developed and test-fired a number of missiles, both short- and long-ranged. In 2017 alone, the country launched 23 missiles, including its first intercontinental missiles which it claimed could reach the US.
China moved to tighten the economic noose on Pyongyang over its continued nuclear and ballistic missile programs in 2017, implementing a new raft of UN sanctions. Purchases of coal, iron ore, gold, rare earths and several other raw minerals from the DPRK related to the nuclear programs were banned. Exports of aviation fuel to the DPRK are no longer allowed.
'Double Suspension' & 'Dual-track'
Further assisting in the efforts to resolve the crisis, the Chinese government has proposed the “double suspension” and “dual-track" approach, which respects the concerns of all related parties.
The double suspension concept, announced by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in March last year, requires the DPRK to "suspend its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the suspension of large-scale US-ROK military exercises."
The dual-track approach promotes a parallel progress in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula while establishing a peaceful mechanism, ultimately reaching both goals together. The concept was first reflected in the Joint Statement signed during the fourth round of the six-party talks.
Xi-Kim summits
The Korean Peninsula witnessed fast developments since the beginning of the year, especially with the unprecedented rapprochement between Pyongyang and Seoul. The PyeongChang Olympics played a role in bringing the two countries to hold high-level talks and paved the way for the historical meeting between Kim and ROK President Moon Jae-in.
But before the two met, Kim paid a visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping from March 25 to 28. Kim's trip to Beijing was his first known overseas visit since taking power in 2011.
March 28, 2018: Chinese President Xi Jinping and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un have discussions at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. /Xinhua Photo
The two leaders emphasized the long-term relationship between their countries, with President Xi saying that the ties "should not and will not change because of any single event at a particular time."
Xi noted that China will continue to play a constructive role in the Korean Peninsula issue and will keep on working with all related parties, including the DPRK.
Kim vowed to commit to the denuclearization of the region.
Another meeting between the two leader followed two months later in China’s northeast city of Dalian, just days after Trump announced he was set to meet with Kim.
May 8, 2018: Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (L) in Dalian, China's northeast Liaoning Province. /Xinhua Photo
Kim briefed Xi on the latest developments, while Xi reiterated China’s position to support DPRK’s adherence to the denuclearization, and back dialogue and consultations.
Victor Gao, vice president of the Center of China and Globalization noted that such high-level cooperation will help avoid any "unhappy surprises" in the Trump-Kim engagement. He suggested Kim's trips to China offer Pyongyang reassurance that it will not be alone in facing Washington.
"Now we are moving in a positive direction," said Gao.
"China is happy to see what it has proposed is becoming a reality on the ground."
