negotiations. china also has to be involved because it was one of the original signatories. china wants to make sure there is no chaos or instability on the korean peninsula. so they want the summit to happen. and for things to be stable rather than the instability we experiencela fall with a so-called bloody no strike being on the table. china wants to make sure things go well but it also wants to make sure it s a critical player in this. and it seems as kim is interested in keeping china in the loop. russia plays a wildcard role as a disruptor. but for the most part, moscow generally follows china s lead on many issues relating to north korea. arthel: where does japan factor in? what s interesting about japan is that the prime minister has been a staunch supporter of maximum pressure ever since the beginning of last year. shinto abbe has stood shoulder