Xi's meeting with Kim boosts peace process

There is no reason to doubt the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's sincerity in wanting to put an end to the long-standing hostility that has made it feel continually threatened. That enmity really should have been consigned to history a long time ago. However, past detentes were aborted due to perceptions on both sides that commitments were not being honored.

That should serve as a lesson that dedicated efforts are needed to remove mutual suspicions. And that for the current positive momentum to have the necessary firm foundations on which to build lasting peace, greater trust is crucial.

By meeting the need for an honest broker to help instill confidence that each side is acting in good faith, China has been playing and continues to play an indispensable role in the Korean Peninsula peace process.