Despite high hopes after the first summit in Singapore, U.S.-North Korea negotiations remain deadlocked after a failed second summit in Hanoi. China, as North Korea’s largest neighbor and main trade partner, has played an important role in previous negotiations and should be encouraged to play a constructive role in moving talks forward. The United States hopes Beijing’s economic and diplomatic leverage with North Korea can help bring Pyongyang back to the negotiation table. But several factors complicate this goal, including tensions in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship and differences over an incremental or “all or nothing” approach to negotiations.

USIP’s China-North Korea Senior Study Group convened over several months to consider how Washington can best engage Beijing to advance progress on denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. The co-chairs and members of the group came together at USIP to discuss the main findings from their final report, which is the second in USIP’s China Senior Study Group Series examining Beijing’s influence on conflict dynamics around the world. Take part in the conversation on Twitter with #ChinaDPRK.

Read the report

Speakers

Ambassador J. Stapleton Royopening remarks
Founding Director Emeritus, Kissinger Institute on China and the United States
Former U.S. Ambassador to China
Co-chair, USIP China-North Korea Senior Study Group

Ambassador Joseph Yunopening remarks
Senior Advisor, USIP
Former U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy
Co-chair, USIP China-North Korea Senior Study Group

Daniel Russel 
Vice President, International Security and Diplomacy, Asia Society Policy Institute
Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Member, USIP China-North Korea Senior Study Group

Ambassador Kathleen Stephens
President, Korea Economic Institute of America
Former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea
Member, USIP China-North Korea Senior Study Group

Jennifer Staats, moderator
Director, East and Southeast Asia Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace
Executive Director, USIP China Senior Study Group Series
 

Related Publications

U.S. Concerns Over ‘Axis of Authoritarianism’ Cloud Final Biden-Xi Meeting

U.S. Concerns Over ‘Axis of Authoritarianism’ Cloud Final Biden-Xi Meeting

Thursday, November 21, 2024

With President Joe Biden’s presidential term ending in a few weeks, expectations for his final meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping were modest, especially considering the broader frictions in U.S.-China relations. Biden and Xi met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru on November 16. The meeting highlighted the importance of maintaining open communications channels to manage the two powers’ many differences.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

China’s Global Security Initiative Takes Shape in Southeast and Central Asia

China’s Global Security Initiative Takes Shape in Southeast and Central Asia

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Since Chinese leader Xi Jinping launched the Global Security Initiative (GSI) in April 2022, it has been used in China’s efforts to expand its international security role and reshape global order. Drawing on field research and discussions with regional policymakers and experts, this report looks at Beijing’s progress in implementing and operationalizing the GSI in the priority regions of mainland Southeast Asia and Central Asia, and it examines key policy implications, explaining why the initiative warrants greater attention on the part of the US policy community.

Type: Special Report

Global Policy

A Public Perceptions Survey of China in Venezuela

A Public Perceptions Survey of China in Venezuela

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

This discussion paper presents and analyzes original data gathered in June 2023 on Venezuelan perceptions of China and the United States. The results show that China’s standing in Venezuela has declined in absolute terms and relative to the United States, which is commensurate with trends elsewhere in Latin America. Furthermore, it suggests the orientation of Venezuela’s foreign policy—including forging close ties to China and alienating the United States—is inconsistent with Venezuelan public preferences. Venezuelans, however, are not fully satisfied with the policy approach of either China or the United States toward Venezuela.

Type: Discussion Paper

Global Policy

China’s Dilemmas Deepen as North Korea Enters Ukraine War

China’s Dilemmas Deepen as North Korea Enters Ukraine War

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Until late October, the big questions about China’s role in the Ukraine conflict centered around whether Beijing would choose to expand its support for Russia to include lethal aid, or if it might engage in more active peacemaking to end the conflict. Then, on November 4, the Pentagon confirmed that North Korea sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk oblast, where Ukraine had captured some territory earlier this year. Days later, the State Department confirmed that North Korean soldiers had begun fighting Ukrainian troops.

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & PreventionGlobal Policy

View All Publications