ABSTRACT
Leonid Brezhnev's death in early November 1982 offered an opportunity for Sino-Soviet contact at the highest level thus far. As reflected in the funeral diplomacy, greater progress was made in the Sino-Soviet detente process during Andropov's administration than Chernenko's. Gorbachev's accession to the pinnacle of power in the Kremlin brought no immediate progress in Sino-Soviet relations. In February, Sino-Soviet border negotiations resumed after a nine-year interruption, and both sides agreed to begin with the eastern sector of the borderline. Another major source of Sino-Soviet detente is the changing strategic perceptions of both sides, particularly those of the People's Republic of China. Looking back at the history of Sino-Soviet relations, one is tempted to say that when the top leadership remains in place, changes below the top level tend to carry few policy implications, unless the leadership itself decides to alter policy course.
