BEIJING ¨C After a spring of heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula, a flurry of diplomatic activity in recent weeks has brought some hope of a meeting of the minds, at least between China, South Korea and the United States. But the emergence of a viable consensus on how to minimize the security risks emanating from North Korea¡¯s mercurial leadership remains to be found.

After a reportedly tough meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vice Marshall Choe Ryong-hae, one of the four members of North Korea¡¯s ruling presidium, the U.S.-China summit in California took place with North Korea as one of the central points of discussion. This was quickly followed by a Beijing summit between Xi and South Korean President Park Geun-hye. The fact that Xi participated in all three meetings underscores two truths: China¡¯s policy toward North Korea is the key to a solution to the problems posed by North Korea, and China may be actively searching for a new approach to its wayward ally.

China¡¯s interest in a new North Korea policy is not entirely new. After all, China¡¯s policy toward the country has been gradually moving in a more constructive direction for the past two decades, reflecting China¡¯s growing international prominence, as well as its leaders¡¯ cautious embrace of the global role that their country¡¯s new economic might has provided.