"China's Role on the Post-Cheonan Korean Peninsula"

The Center for Strategies and International Studies will host a discussion to examine China's dilemma in maintaining the equidistance policy between North and South Korea.

The events surrounding the sinking of the Cheonan by a North Korean torpedo have put into stark relief China's dilemma in maintaining an equidistance policy between the two Koreas. As part of the CSIS "China Policy Gap" project,  the Office of the Korea Chair invites you to join in a discussion, which will examine the complexities faced by Beijing as it tries to craft its future role on the Peninsula. Leading the discussion will be noted experts and scholars:

Thomas J. Christensen- Dr. Christensen is a Professor of Politics and International Affairs and Director of the Princeton-Harvard China and the World Program at Princeton University. From 2006-2008 he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs with responsibility for relations with China, Taiwan, and Mongolia. Professor Christensen has served on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and as co-editor of the International History and Politics series at Princeton University Press. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In 2002 he was presented with a Distinguished Public Service Award by the United States Department of State.

Seongho Sheen- Dr. Sheen is currently a Visiting Fellow at the East-West Center in Washington. He is also an Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University. Previously, he was an Assistant Research Professor at Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) and a Research Fellow at the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis (IFPA). His publications include the book North Korean Nuclear Crisis and Peace on the Korean Peninsula (with Young Kwan Yoon), and journal articles in The International Spectator, Journal of International Peace, Korea's Future Strategies, and Korean Journal of International Relations.

Victor D. Cha- Dr. Cha was named to the newly created Korea Chair at CSIS in May 2009. Concurrently, he also serves as Director for Asian Studies at Georgetown University. From 2004 to 2007, he was Director for Asian Affairs at the White House. He also served as U.S. Deputy Head of Delegation to the Six-Party Talks and has acted as a senior consultant on East Asian security issues for different branches of the U.S. government.