China solidified its Korean peninsula strategy in June 2017, as South Korean President Moon Jae-in advocated dialogue with North Korea and struggled to balance the fine line between American and Chinese interests as both pertain to the deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD). Some observers remained hopeful that the THAAD deployment decision would be reversed, while others criticized Moon.

China continues to pursue a dual-track approach to North Korea, applying pressure by enforcing sanctions more strictly while advocating a cessation of North Korean nuclear and missile tests in exchange for a halt to U.S.-ROK