U.S. President Donald Trump made repeated invitations to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as he prepared to visit South Korea this week, with officials in Seoul serving as his cheerleaders.

A preliminary tariff deal with President Trump called for a large investment in the United States, while China has warned Seoul not to side with Washington.

However, the two men appear to have put these differences aside following talks in Malaysia over the weekend, agreeing to the roots of a preliminary deal in which China will delay its expanded licens...