Exclusive review | The aroma, bitterness and condensed milk of Vietnamese coffee

Sun Shaobo/painting

By Fang Xiang

Starting today, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Trump will hold their second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. Yesterday, the International Media Center for the DPRK-US Summit set up by the Vietnamese government at the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Cultural Palace was officially opened. From yesterday to March 1, the International Media Center will serve journalists 24 hours a day. For many journalists who stay up late to work, a cup of Vietnamese coffee is indispensable. Compared with traditional American coffee, Vietnamese coffee has a strong flavor, rich taste and charming aroma that is unforgettable, but the strong bitterness is still a bit unaccustomed to many people who taste it for the first time, and this is exactly the case with the "Kim-Trump Summit" held in Vietnam this time.

I remember that at the first "Kim-Trump summit" held in Singapore last year, the interaction between Trump and Kim Jong-un left a very deep impression on many people, but the relationship between the two countries has since fluctuated, so many people are skeptical about whether a second summit will be held. Although Kim Jong-un and Trump met in Hanoi, Vietnam this time, the expectations of all parties on what results can be achieved are not very high.

Just before leaving for Hanoi, Trump said he was in no hurry to reach a denuclearization agreement with Kim Jong-un, saying that the United States would be happy as long as North Korea did not conduct nuclear tests. As the saying goes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. Sometimes lowering your expectations may bring more than expected results. In the International Media Center, reporters from South Korea accounted for a large proportion. A reporter from the Korean Broadcasting Corporation (KBS) said that this summit should not only be about mutual goodwill between the two sides, but more importantly, it should make substantial progress.

In his 2019 New Year's speech, Kim Jong-un repeatedly stressed the need to develop North Korea's economy, such as developing tourism and attracting foreign investment. Therefore, in addition to meeting with Trump, Kim Jong-un's inspection of Vietnam's development model is also an important part of his agenda for the leaders' summit in Vietnam. According to a communique from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the invitation of Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Kim Jong-un will pay an official friendly visit to Vietnam.

In 1958 and 1964, Kim Jong-un's grandfather, Kim Il-sung, visited Vietnam twice to promote the establishment of friendly relations between North Korea and Vietnam. This time, Kim Jong-un chose Hanoi as the venue for the North Korea-US summit, which is also an important opportunity for Vietnam to showcase its image. Judging from the streets of Vietnam and the expectations of the people, they hope that through this summit, they can further build the global image of Hanoi, Vietnam, as the "City of Peace", which not only shows the hospitality of the Vietnamese people, but also better demonstrates Vietnam's status and role on the international stage.

Anyone who has drunk Vietnamese coffee must know that condensed milk is essential to get a cup of coffee with a good taste. And China has made an indelible contribution to the success of the "Kim-Trump summit".

From the past fury to today's politeness, China played a very important role in the transformation of Kim Jong-un and Trump from hostility to friendship. Whether it is the previous six-party talks or today's DPRK-US summit, China has always emphasized that the key to resolving the nuclear crisis on the peninsula lies in the two countries of North Korea and the United States, and resolving the DPRK nuclear issue in a peaceful manner is the only way to achieve regional peace, stability and development.

With China's active mediation, the fourth round of the Six-Party Talks in 2005 reached the landmark "September 19 Joint Statement", whose principles and spirit are still of practical significance. Today, China also plays an important role in promoting contacts between North Korea and the United States, and the international community praises China's determination to always adhere to peaceful means and resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue.

Peace must be fought for and opportunities must be seized. The solution to the North Korean nuclear issue is ultimately a gradual process in which both sides accumulate mutual trust and goodwill. You can't get fat in one go. It is neither realistic nor rational to hope that the issue can be resolved through just two talks between the leaders of North Korea and the United States.

China has always been an important force in promoting a political solution to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula. As long as all parties remain patient and careful, "sincerity can move mountains and open up new horizons", it will definitely have a positive impact on achieving the denuclearization of the peninsula and building a permanent peace mechanism.