China’s special envoy to North Korea has concluded a four-day visit to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, with no news of him meeting with Kim Jong Un, spurring speculation that China’s relationship with its ally has become rocky in the midst of rising tensions.
North Korea’s nuclear missile tests this year have escalated hostilities with the United States. With China as North Korea’s closest neighbor and biggest trading partner, the United States has tried to enlist China to rein in the regime’s nuclear ambitions. It was top of the priority list during U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Beijing.
