Kim's visit reiterates Beijing's importance

Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, paid an unofficial visit to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping from March 25 to 28. At his meeting with Xi, Kim discussed the Korean Peninsula issue, and his scheduled meeting with Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in on April 27 as well as his planned meeting with US President Donald Trump sometime in May, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The DPRK leader's visit to China and his meeting with Xi must have surprised those who were arguing that Beijing had been marginalized after Trump agreed to an historic meeting with Kim. The China skeptics tried to further establish their argument after the date for the Kim-Moon meeting was announced.

In fact, there was no reason for the China detractors to be surprised at Kim's visit. After Trump twitted that he would like to meet with Kim, he called Xi to convey the US' views on the Korean Peninsula issue. Shortly after that, Chung Eui-yong, special envoy of the ROK president, visited China to further explain the developments.