As 2020 gets underway, the situation on the Korean peninsula remains fluid, and China continues to be involved, though perhaps not as much as it would like.

After North Korea backed away from its promise to give the U.S. an unspecified “Christmas present,” a flurry of diplomatic activity once again ensued between the DPRK, ROK, and the U.S.

The impetus for North Korea’s pivot away from its combative words and missile tests of late 2019 is unclear. However, China may have played a role in de-escalating tensions behind the scenes, as North Korean bellicosity