Despite 'no Deal,' Kim Will Stay in Vietnam Till March 2

Kim may hold another summit with Xi

By Lee Min-hyung

HANOI ― North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is likely to engage in a hectic diplomatic schedule in Vietnam and possibly in China after wrapping up his two-day summit with US President Donald Trump on Thursday.

Kim's post-summit itinerary begins Friday with two extra days of an 'official friendly' visit in the summit host city, according to the regime's state-controlled Korea Central News Agency (KCNA).

Other details regarding his return path to Pyongyang have yet to be released, with speculation surfacing over the possibility that he may hold another summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on his way home.

The possibility was raised, as there is ample chance for him to return by train when he heads back to Pyongyang.

On Tuesday, Kim traversed China on board a heavily armored train to reach the border with Vietnam The train is getting maintenance service in Nanning, China, located close to Hanoi.

The diplomatic relations between China and North Korea also add to the likelihood for Kim to visit Beijing or somewhere else in China for a summit with Xi.

Beijing-Pyongyang ties have been on track for rapid improvement, with their leaders holding four summits since last March.

'There is high probability that Kim will hold a summit with Xi on his return trip, as his train passes through China,' a diplomatic source said.

'Even if the relations between Washington and Beijing are not in good shape, Kim will meet with Xi en route to Pyongyang and discuss future strategies by sharing the outcome of the meeting with Trump.'

Kim has sought to take advantage of China's diplomatic power for his ongoing negotiations with the US on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula

Only a week after the first Trump-Kim summit last June, the North Korean leader and his first lady Ri Sol-ju met with their Chinese counterparts in Beijing to share details with Xi about the results of the historic June 12 summit between Washington and Pyongyang.

This...