May 23, 2017 in the city of Gimhae, Gyeongsang-Namdo Province, was marked by a commemoration of the eighth anniversary of the death of former South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun. The ceremony was attended by the new President of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Moon Jae-in, who was accompanied by top dignitaries and representatives of political circles that the deceased was closely associated with.
The “Taiwan problem” that is being regularly discussed in the articles featured on NEO has been manifesting itself all that much on the international stage over the last two decades. However, the situation feels differently in the north and south of the island of Taiwan, on the Korean peninsula and in the South China Sea in general, where one could notice outbursts of political tension that resemble volcanic eruptions of different intensity levels.
While the cowardly Trump Administration and its Generals pathetically try to parade their manliness to a puzzled world by lobbing giga-bombs and cruise missiles around the world from Syria to Yemen to Somalia to Afghaistan, China and her Eurasian neighbors, notably the Russian Federation, and the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union, are building up the peaceful economic alternative.
Internal political struggle is an inalienable element of the functioning of any state, regardless of the kind of meme that determines its structure: “democracy”, “authoritarianism” or “totalitarianism”. In each of them, the “price of the issue” at the highest level of such a struggle looks the same way and is defined by the word “power.” Actual holders are eager to retain it, and their opponents, on the contrary, strive to wrest it away.
After the change of power in South Korea, many people got the idea that after the authorities in South Korea change completely, the decision to deploy US missile defense elements on the Korean territory can be reconsidered. Unfortunately, these hopes remind the author of a similar mood that people experienced at the time of Trump’s victory, believing that the policy of the new American leader would be significantly different from that of his predecessors.
The meeting of the representatives of eleven countries that participated in the creation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership deserves particular attention due to a variety of reasons. Although at first glance it may resemble a medical consilium that was assembled to discuss the best possible treatment for a patient that is barely clinging to life, this impression is misleading.
In the process of strengthening its influence, China is developing cooperation with its neighbors, seeking to bind all the small states in the surrounding region to itself economically. Chief among these smaller states are the ASEAN member countries. To achieve economic integration with these countries and ensure its continued presence in them, China is setting up plans employing the well-proven and effective method of constructing railway networks within their territories.
On May 6, 2017, in the South Korean news, it was once again reported that work on the creation of a new tunnel was seen at the North Korean nuclear test site near the village of Phungue-ri in the Kielzhu-gun region of North Hamgyong Province. As reported by the Internet portal ‘38 North’, satellite imagery shows that there are vehicles located at the entrance to the northern tunnel. There is also noticeable, increased activity in the area of the command center and administrative buildings.
On May 3 of this year, one of the most significant events of recent years marked the domestic political life of Japan. On this day, TV viewers of the country saw the record of the Prime Minister Shinzō Abe speech in front of the supporters of constitutional reforms from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
The string of events that accompanied the recent forum in Beijing that was devoted to the One Belt-One road project has confirmed the thesis of the ultra-high dynamics of the political game between the leading powers in the Asian-Pacific region.
Among the negative aspects of this forum was absence of the official delegation from India at this forum, but this fact compliments the overall picture of mutual distrust and growing suspicion in the relations between the two Asian giants.
