China moves to revive role as go-between for Trump, Kim Jong-un talks

China is showing strong willingness to act as a mediator to help resume talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the South China Morning Post reported, citing sources.

Multiple people familiar with the matter told the Hong Kong newspaper that China is seeking to play an "active and constructive role" in reviving diplomacy between North Korea and the US.

The move suggests that as Trump renews his push to restart dialogue with North Korea, China is signaling its intent to remain a key player in negotiations on the Korean Peninsula.

According to two of the sources, the Chinese government's policy is to support any credible effort that could lead to a resumption of talks between the US and North Korea.

However, a number of hurdles are expected before a summit between the two leaders can actually take place.

North Korea has recently strengthened ties with Russia, boosting its diplomatic and military leverage, while also deepening solidarity with China. This has led to speculation that Kim may present Washington with higher demands than in the past in exchange for returning to the negotiating table with Trump.

Some analysts believe this potential stance may be influenced by Kim's disappointment over the outcome of his past talks with Trump.

Analysts say the humiliation Kim suffered from the collapse of the 2019 Hanoi summit remains an unresolved issue that must be addressed before dialogue can resume.

One source said Kim is likely to demand sanctions relief and US recognition of North Korea's status as a nuclear power before agreeing to hold a summit.

Another source said the Chinese government will likely want to confirm whether Washington has set specific outcomes it expects to achieve from a summit with North Korea.

China, which views North Korea as important leverage against the United States, is highly interested in mediating a meeting between Trump and Kim, but only to the extent that its own interests are protected, one source said.

The report also revisited the possibility, previously raised in foreign media, that a US-North Korea summit could take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November.

Another source said Trump's attendance at the APEC summit has become all but certain, and that preliminary moves interpreted as preparations for a meeting with Kim have already been observed.

A special envoy reportedly visited Shenzhen and Hangzhou in China in mid-August, with sources saying such preparations accelerated following the US-China summit held in Beijing in May.

Meanwhile, some analysts suggest that Trump's repeated remarks about North Korea were an attempt by his administration to divert international attention away from the war with Iran.

North Korea, however, has yet to publicly respond to Trump's repeated overtures for talks.