China, like many other countries, has many faces. It boasts the world’s second-largest economy, military power and advanced technologies in some sectors like aerospace.

At the same time, China has yet to overcome backwardness in its political and economic system and various social norms which lag behind international standards. 

The country also needs to overcome the skepticism about its vision to become a global superpower equaling the U.S. The skepticism is based on Chinese leaders’ failure to live up to the expectation to behave as a responsible, respected member of the international community. One such example is their policy on North Korea.

It is apparent that China is moving to restore relations with North Korea despite concerns that it could cause a crack in the international sanctions imposed on the North over its latest nuclear and missile provocations. Once again, Beijing is using North Korea as a leverage in its dealings with South Korea and the U.S.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s carefully organized public stunts in a regional security forum in Laos this week sufficiently demonstrated what he and his bosses in Beijing have in their mind.

Wang told his South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se that the recent decision to deploy a U.S. advanced missile defense system in South Korea “hurt mutual trust” between the two countries.

Wang also said he wanted to hear what “practical” measures South Korea would take to preserve relations with China. In effect, he was demanding Seoul withdraw the plan to deploy the missile interceptor system.

Wang allowed media to cover the opening part of his talks with North orean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, the first of their kind in two years. The Chinese minister took care to show off a high level of intimacy in front of the cameras. 

The message Wang wanted to send was clear: China and North Korea are on course to restore their bilateral relations, which have been at their lowest level due to Pyongyang’s continued nuclear and missile provocations.

In other words, China is telling South Korea -- and the U. S. as well -- that their decision on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system would draw Beijing closer to Pyongyang.

At the same time, China -- which lost a key international legal war over territorial disputes in the South China Sea -- is telling the U.S. that it can use the North Korea card regarding the maritime territorial dispute and other issues that pit the superpowers against each other.

In his talks with Yun, Wang reaffirmed China’s position that it will continue to support the U.N.-led sanctions on North Korea. But what he said and did during the ASEAN Regional Forum in Vientiane -- including his strong opposition to THAAD and his warm welcome of Ri at the start of their talks -- raises concerns about Beijing’s commitment to end the North’s nuclear and missile threats.

As Yun aptly pointed out, the root of the North Korean problem is its nuclear and missile ambitions and what China has to do is endeavor to scuttle it, not oppose a defense system necessitated by the danger from the rogue state’s nuclear bombs and missiles. Things like this convince many that China has a long way to go to become a true global superpower.