Charting China’s Evolving Views of the Korea-U.S. Alliance

On September 6, former CNAPS Visiting Fellow Jae Ho Chung gave a presentation on China’s evolving views of the Korea-U.S. alliance from 1953 to present day. Professor Chung’s presentation traced the evolutionary path of Chinese views of the Korea-U.S. alliance in four distinct periods: the Cold War era (1950s to 1960s); the transformative years (early 1970s to mid-1990s); a period of strain between Seoul and Washington (late 1990s to late 2000s); and an era of great renewal (late 2000s to present). Professor Chung suggested that China’s ideational trajectory has shifted from antagonism to wishful thinking and strategic reawakening.