Professor Moon Jeong-in Guest Lecturer at the 2nd Yonsei Cheongsong Forum China has emerged as the world’s second largest economic super power. Accordingly, it is asserting its power and challenging the US-led international order. The change in dynamics between US-China relations is influencing Northeast Asia and rest of the world. With the US announcing the move of its power center to Asia in 2010, China has taken on a resistant strategy with the intention to force the US to retreat. Moon Jeong-in, professor of political science at Yonsei University, offered an objective analysis of the US-China hegemony and proposed a strategic plan for the Korean peninsula. He shared his views at the 2nd Yonsei Cheongsong Forum held at the Yonsei University Alumni Association Building on October 31st. Moon was Chairman of Presidential Committee on Northeast Asian Cooperation Initiative, Ambassador of International Security for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Chairman of the Korean Committee for the Davos Forum. Currently, he is the Chairman of Yonsei University’s Advisory Committee for Internationalization and Director of the Kim Dae-jung Library. He said that, “Hegemony means a distribution of power. It manifests in three major ways: national power, political will and intention. Economically, China is emerging as the power player. However, US is still ahead of China in naval and military power. US also has the upper hand in terms of “soft power” related to democratic values since China maintains its communist system.” He continued, “According to the Crowe Memorandum, US should be above China in national power and ensure its status in order to repress China. However, China faces internal challenges from democratic, nationalist and separatist groups. It needs to focus on internal problems and competition for hegemony is not the priority.” He added that, “Within China, there are three main views on China’s future: a cultural, a responsible and a peaceful rising to power. Most, including the ruling Communist Party, believe in the peaceful rising to power.” “There are several strategies being mapped out for the Korean Peninsula in the era of US-China hegemony; the opportunistic or Bismarckian approach, becoming a middle power with nuclear weapons, or even jumping on the Chinese wagon. However, the most important thing is to know China well. Korea needs to see and hear through China. Korea needs to create amicable connections with China through China-Korea diplomacy and all-round balanced diplomatic relations.” Moon emphasized that, “We need more research institutions in order to study more about China to have a better understanding of the changes that are taking place. There are only a few at the moment in Korea. I hope that Yonsei University will step forward and set up an institution that aims to study China and regional problems in its Songdo International Campus in Incheon.”