From the Chinese perspective, the uncertainty surrounding the Korean Peninsula and North Korea’s nuclear program which has characterized 2016 has only intensified since the U.S. election. President-elect Donald Trump signaled during his campaign that he would change many aspects of U.S. policy on North Korea as well as the wider region, and China is, understandably, concerned about what this all means.

Trump’s election has led some Chinese observers to see a new opportunity for China to take leadership on North Korean de-nuclearization efforts. Others believe that the longstanding multilateral approach to North Korea’s