How the Détente on the Korean Peninsula Influences Relations Between China's Academic Debate and Decision Making

Abstract

In 2018, the situation on the Korean peninsula eased after 17 years of tension. Chinese political circles and academic circles began to discuss how to deal with the change in the situation on the Peninsula. Many notable experts on North Korea in China have expressed their views, but there are great differences among them. The government''s decision-making is opaque. How do Chinese scholars interact with the government and how does the detente on the Korean Peninsula influence the opinion market of the academic community of China? How should South Korea handle the relationship with Chinese scholars in order to meet its own interests? In this article, I analyze the interaction between Chinese academics and politics on the basis of information available to the public and the changes in China''s policy toward the Peninsula during and after the Sino-US trade conflict.