As North Korea continued its diplomatic opening to the international community with the North-South summit, the announcement of denuclearization measures, and Kim Jong Un’s unexpected visit to Dalian to meet with Xi Jinping, Chinese media remained optimistic and congratulatory of the Chinese and North Korean leaders.

Below the surface, however, developments suggested that China remains cautious and is working diligently to manage the trend, as well as its portrayal in domestic media. The visit by foreign minister Wang Yi to North Korea was the subject of a great deal of domestic analysis. However, Chinese media offered