Despite two major missile tests by North Korea and increasingly strong rhetoric from the U.S. and Japan pressuring Beijing to take greater responsibility for the North Korean nuclear issue in July, China’s position remains unchanged. Many factors are at play, including the complexity of the situation and political considerations, both international and domestic.

President Moon’s proposal for direct negotiations with North Korea in Berlin on July 6, despite the latter’s purported ICBM test on July 4, is a positive sign for Chinese officials and observers, who have long promoted dialogue to solve the North Korean