On Friday, June 7, President Obama will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a series of talks to address major issues between the two countries. The talks offer a rare, informal opportunity to discuss heightened concerns about North Korea and a growing U.S. military presence in Northeast Asia.

Officially and unofficially, China appears to be decreasing its support for Kim Jong Un-- an encouraging sign. Gi-Wook Shin, Thomas Fingar, and David Straub recommend that Obama should stress overlapping areas of interest, such as denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, and support for direct negotiations between Pyongyang and Seoul.