Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 31, 2017

Xi Jingping told his military the same thing China has been telling its people for decades: The world needs us, our military, our might, and our expansion, otherwise there can be no peace. This proves a static ethic. From this perspective, China wants the US to remain calm and not take action in North Korea.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s president wants the US to wait while he negotiates with the North for safety in the US. South Korean people want much the same thing Filipinos want: non-dependence. South Korea’s president, South Korea’s people, and China all want the US to “get out”. Interestingly, they share this sentiment with North Korea.

The world is full of political ideologies that claim half of one thing and do half of another. The best chance at victory is to simply stay home and do good work there. In that, the South Korean people stand the greatest chance of victory. Yet, the United States stands the greatest chance of taking action for two reasons: the US is being threatened more than any other and the US is willing to take action more than any other. If the US takes out the North, they can leave and the South Koreans will get what they want. But, things rarely happen as they should.

Only two things are foreseeable: conflict and Korean unification. All the rest is conjecture.

China

Behind a $18 Billion Donation to a New York Charity, a Shadowy Chinese Conglomerate | NY Times

China condemns missile launch, ‘urges’ North Korea to abide by UN resolutions | Taipei Times

China Shows Off Military Might as Xi Jinping Tries to Cement Power | NY Times

Xi Calls for Strong Army, Tells China Troops ‘World Isn’t Safe’ | Bloomberg

Korea

Trump is ‘poised to launch military strike’ against the rogue state | The Sun

U.S. THAAD missile hits test target amid growing pressure from North Korea | Yahoo – Reuters

South Korea considers a nuclear arsenal to counter the North | McClatchy DC

US

Hon Hai chooses Wisconsin for plant | Taipei Times

Donald Trump vows he won’t let China ‘do nothing’ on North Korea | Telegraph