VETERAN diplomat and negotiator Christopher Hill leads a U.S. delegation that might actually make progress with North Korea toward reducing the nuclear menace on the peninsula.

Hill is a refreshing change from John Bolton, who as undersecretary of state chose to heap invective on North Korea, instead of engaging in meaningful dialogue. The talks sputtered in fits and starts, then stalled completely last September. Talks resumed Tuesday when the six nations involved sat down. But the more important news was a quieter session between U.S. and North Korean negotiators. Previously, the Bush administration had behaved as if such bilateral recognition would be a political and moral abdication.

Now, Hill is telling North Korea the United States has no intention of attacking Pyongyang and the administration recognizes the country as a sovereign nation. This is a long way from President Bush lumping North Korea into the axis of evil.

South Korea, Japan, Russia and China are part of the negotiations, with the Chinese acting as host and mediator in Beijing. Progress at the negotiating table and behind the scenes may well indicate a maturing of China's world view.

Having North Korea as a reckless, unpredictable neighbor does China and its economic aspirations no good. Failure to resolve tensions between the U.S. and North Korea only complicates relations between Beijing and Washington.

The Bush administration is revealing a new strategy that seeks to rein in poor and paranoid North Korea. China is a key ally for sanity on the peninsula.