North Korea’s East Asia neighbors — Japan, China and South Korea — have a shared goal of denuclearizing the peninsula, but what may come out of Tuesday’s summit in Singapore between President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has different and possibly conflicting implications for their security, economic and geopolitical interests.
WORRIED JAPAN
Japan, a U.S. ally whose diplomatic policies largely mirror Washington’s, is relying on Trump because Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been unable to meet Kim. Japan worries about being marginalized by other regional players who have increased their interaction with North Korea. Abe doesn’t want Trump to strike a compromise on North Korea’s missile program that would leave Japan exposed to shorter-range missiles that do not reach the U.S.
HOPEFUl BUT SKEPTICAl SOUTH
South Koreans have been split between hope and doubt after seeing the seesaw developments leading up to the summit. They hope that improved relations between the U.S. and North Korea would ease tensions, adding momentum for inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation. Some even speculate that Trump and Kim may discuss a peace treaty formally ending the 1950-1953 Korean War, replacing the current armistice.
CAUTIOUS CHINA
Trump has long leaned on China to convince North Korea to moderate its actions despite protests from Beijing and some experts that China’s influence may be overstated. But the success or failure of the summit will be seen by some as an indication of China’s status as a major player in Northeast Asia, something Beijing has long craved.