TOKYO - Chinese and North Korean state media this week devoted extensive coverage to Xi Jinping's summit with Kim Jong Un, yet offered no reference to a central issue for Washington: the North's ongoing pursuit of nuclear weapons capable of threatening the United States and its allies in Asia.

The absence of discussion reveals more than volumes of scripted messaging.

Before disarmament negotiations collapsed in 2019, Washington and Beijing collaborated for years in diplomatic efforts to encourage North Korea to relinquish its nuclear goals in exchange for essential aid and formal recognition.

Beijing frequently advocated for denuclearization, a formal phrase referring to nuclear disarmament, and officials in Washington along with Seoul and Tokyo hoped China would leverage its role as Pyongyang's main diplomatic and economic supporter to advance progress on the nuclear question.

Xi's trip to Pyongyang on Monday and Tuesday, his first in seven years, may mark the close of that expectation and indicate a notable evolution in his assessment of the North's nuclear arsenal.

From Beijing's viewpoint, Xi's restraint could reflect recognition of how much North Korea's nuclear capabilities have advanced since Kim Jong Un assumed power in 2011, along with the slim prospects that talks could convince the North to surrender weapons it regards as its primary shield against external pressure.

During the Chinese leader's previous visit to North Korea in 2019, state media reported his statement that his country would contribute constructively to denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing prioritizes stability in North Korea and the surrounding region above all, since any sudden collapse in Pyongyang risks sending large numbers of people across the shared border.

With that goal in mind, China has generally refrained from directly urging an end to North Korea's nuclear efforts, according to analysis from Jiyong Zheng, dean of the Institute of Regional Studies at Tianjin Foreign Studies University.

Instead, Beijing has promoted denuclearization of the entire Korean Peninsula, a phrasing that also signals a desire to reduce U.S. nuclear commitments to South Korea and limit deployments of nuclear capable aircraft near the peninsula.

In recent months, Beijing has indicated a preference for first stabilizing conditions on the peninsula, treating denuclearization as a secondary objective, Zheng noted.

China is increasingly determining that a strict focus on denuclearization from the outset proves unworkable and could heighten regional tensions, he said.

For Kim Jong Un, the lack of any public reference or rebuke regarding his nuclear arsenal represents a clear gain. He has long sought global acceptance of his country as a nuclear power, which might eventually bring relief from U.N. sanctions.

When questioned on Tuesday about whether Seoul should adjust its outlook on Beijing following Xi's apparent avoidance of the nuclear topic in Pyongyang, South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Il maintained that China still backs the objective of nuclear disarmament.

Likewise, after last month's meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Xi, the White House reported that both leaders reaffirmed their common aim of denuclearizing North Korea.

China, however, stated only that the U.S. and Chinese leaders addressed the nuclear matter on the Korean Peninsula.

On Sunday, Kim's sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, rejected as inaccurate the U.S. account of the Xi-Trump discussion.

Last week, Kim Jong Un introduced a new facility for producing nuclear materials and pledged to expand nuclear capabilities at a rapid pace. His sister further described any U.S. effort toward North Korean denuclearization as an outdated notion.

It is possible that China seeks to prevent North Korea and the U.S. from drawing closer, said Park Won Gon, a professor at Seoul's Ewha Womans University, noting that Beijing may wish to retain the North within its influence and use the relationship as a point of leverage with Washington.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung informed reporters on Monday that North Korea is generating sufficient nuclear material each year for roughly 10 to 20 weapons and is nearing completion of intercontinental ballistic missile technology that could reach the U.S. mainland.

Kim has emphasized that nuclear weapons form a core element of the North's national character. He has embedded the country's nuclear status in its constitution and directed increasing portions of resources, industry, and administration toward maintaining it.

Some analysts interpret China's omission of the term denuclearization during Xi's visit this time as a distinct shift in Beijing's position and an implicit recognition of North Korea's nuclear standing.

This adjustment could indicate that deterrence efforts by the U.S., Japan, and South Korea will become a sustained effort rather than a temporary measure, according to Seong-Hyon Lee, a senior fellow at the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations.

Beijing's silence should be seen not as an administrative lapse but as a purposeful strategic message, Lee said. By quietly acknowledging North Korea's nuclear status, Beijing reinforces its role as a key participant in any future discussions.

Even so, China's tolerance for North Korea's military goals may have boundaries.

While Xi's visit reflects a strategic alignment with Kim, it does not amount to unlimited support for North Korea, said Leif-Eric Easley, also a professor at Ewha Womans University.

Beijing seeks stability and acknowledgment of its regional goals, Easley said. North Korea's continued buildup of military strength is testing the boundaries of what its larger neighbor will accept.