There are many uncertainties and moving parts, but one thing is certain: Kim’s short trip to China has shaken up the strategic dynamics of East Asia.

China’s involvement in the negotiation process with North Korea and in the ultimate implementation of any agreement is essential. It will take serious effort to develop policies, organizations, and processes that simultaneously satisfy the DPRK, Beijing, and America. That just makes it more important that multilateral discussions begin on these issues.

China and the Philippines have deftly resolved disputes and are working together for development and win-win cooperation.

Going forward it is important both for the U.S. to clarify specifically what sort of hegemony it opposes and for China to be careful that its quest for hegemonic leadership does not move towards bullying and empire. Both moves are necessary if the world’s two great powers are going to negotiate the strains of shifting power.

To China, North Korea has remained, though a thorn in its side at points, a check against Western powers in the region, namely the United States. As with climate change, this the North Korea conundrum is a valuable opportunity for China to continue to prove its desire to become more involved in global crises and continue to showcase its “peaceful rise” in the global community.

China appeared increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of South Korea and the United States in the lead and in control of the direction of diplomacy with North Korea. Now, Xi has had the opportunity to influence the terms of any future agreement.

Extensive official news reporting about the trip says very little about anything resembling mutual commitment.

The positive changes in the past few months have vindicated China’s ideas.

China needs to keep its composure and resist the impulse towards a strategic showdown with the United States.

The danger of a make-or-break summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un is that it may break, and convince either or both leaders that diplomacy is doomed to fail.