North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s Oct. 24 visit to Dandong, China, and his meeting with Wang Huning should not be dismissed as another diplomatic ceremony. It was a carefully staged demonstration of strengthening relations between Beijing and Pyongyang. More importantly, it should serve as a warning to the United States, South Korea and Japan that the strategic environment in Northeast Asia is changing. Wang Huning is not an ordinary Chinese official. He ranks fourth in the Chinese Communist Party hierarchy and serves as chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. A former professor at Fudan University, Wang has been one of China’s most influential political thinkers and strategists, advising three successive leaders: Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping. Few Chinese officials have enjoyed such sustained influence across three administrations. Wang has helped shape the ideological foundations of modern Chinese governance. His involvement in Kim’s visit, including conveying Chinese President Xi’s personal greetings, underscores the political significan