The flare-up of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing in recent weeks, combined with the cooling of U.S.-North Korea relations since February, suggests an opportunity for China to take its engagement with North Korea to the next level.

This is particularly true in light of Beijing’s apparent prior willingness to cooperate with Washington on North Korean sanctions enforcement and other measures when it expected reciprocation on trade issues.

After the tentative fruits of months of China-U.S. trade negotiations appeared to evaporate beginning May 5 with renewed U.S. tariff proposals, American observers