Seoul: China appeared more focused on countering U.S. regional influence than on addressing North Korea's nuclear program, given the absence of any public reference to Pyongyang's denuclearization in either country's readout of their summit this week, an expert said Tuesday. According to Yonhap News Agency, Patrick Cronin, chair for Asia-Pacific security at the Hudson Institute, made the remarks, noting that the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Pyongyang on Monday underlined their unity amid an intensifying Sino-U.S. rivalry. Xi visited the North Korean capital on Monday and Tuesday on his first trip to the country since 2019, as strategic competition between the United States and China has been deepening on multiple fronts, including trade, maritime security, and technological leadership. "China is more focused on denying U.S. influence than denying North Korea nuclear weapons," Cronin said. He further explained that Kim views the omission of denuclearizat ion references as a validation of North Korea's status as a permanent nuclear-weapon state. The high-profile meeting between Xi and Kim followed summit talks between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing last month, where denuclearization of North Korea was affirmed as a shared goal. However, the absence of similar references during Xi's visit to Pyongyang raised questions about China's approach to North Korea's nuclear ambitions. In 2019, Xi had supported efforts toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula during his trip to Pyongyang. Cronin emphasized that the summit communicated a key message of unity between China and North Korea. He noted that although the two countries have divergent interests in some areas, they are determined to create a "more favorable balance of power" in Northeast Asia. For Kim, the summit served to reinforce his regime's identity as a nuclear power. Rob Rapson, former acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea, viewed the Xi-Kim summit as a significant event in the evolving geopolitics of Northeast Asia. He noted that the absence of discussions on denuclearization would complicate future reengagement prospects between the U.S. and North Korea. Rapson suggested that Trump might still pursue another meeting with Kim for legacy purposes, despite looming challenges. Time is a critical factor, with Trump's presidency ending in January 2029, and Pyongyang showing little interest in resuming dialogue with Washington, particularly as it strengthens ties with Moscow.