3 Chinese Boats Held Ransom by Armed N Korean Gunmen

"We have to imagine, if this type of situation happened between China and any another country, all kinds of information would have quickly come out," according to a Chinese-language editorial in the Global Times newspaper on Friday. But in a case involving North Korea, "the situation immediately became 'politically sensitive.' "

Analysts said open criticism of North Korea on Chinese websites signaled growing frustration by Beijing over Pyongyang's erratic behavior. China's social-networking services have been under official pressure in recent months to clamp down on discussions of topics Beijing deems sensitive.

"Certainly the parameters for discourse have been opened up significantly," said Adam Cathcart, a scholar of China-North Korea relations at Pacific Lutheran University, currently based in China. "It shows [China's] patience is wearing pretty thin."

[link to online.wsj.com]

Shit's about to get real

Last Edited by -GooGooFlexy- on 05/18/2012 11:27 AM

China urges N Korea to stop its Nuclear program!

Whether restarting work on a nuclear reactor or (allegedly) kidnapping Chinese fishermen, trying to launch a satellite or to import banned tap-dancing shoes from Italy, North Korea continues to draw international attention a month after Kim Jong-un was declared its new leader.

In recent days, North Korea has drawn attention over other issues, too. It may have resumed construction of a nuclear reactor, the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said, citing satellite imagery of the building site at Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, which can be seen here. My colleague Choe Sang-hun’s report is here. Reuters reports that China is “quietly” trying to dissuade North Korea from conducting another nuclear test.

[link to rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com]

Definitely a tense situation...

Last Edited by -GooGooFlexy- on 05/18/2012 11:27 AM

Anger among Chinese
The incident has raised the ire of China’s netizens, who have wondered why it has taken so long for news of the alleged hijacking to be released and why Beijing has reacted so gently on this matter.

On China’s Twitter-like service, Weibo, the issue was the top trending topic Thursday. “Has North Korea forgotten how China aided North Korea in the Korean War?” wrote one user. “Why are our fishermen always being arrested by foreigners, our waters always occupied by other countries? Don’t bully us, OK?”

Others Weibo users were more belligerent. “If they dare to execute hostages, we should immediately destroy them!” declared another.

[link to behindthewall.msnbc.msn.com]

for possible WW3 scenario.

Come on guys...China's out making enemies with the Philippines over fishing territory and N Korea hijacks 3 of their boats for ransom. All at the same time China is pressing N Korea to stop its nuclear program. This could send an already tense situation over the edge.

America would have sniped them all in one coordinated motion making it look like an effortless task.

North Korea has resumed construction of a nuclear reactor that can be used to expand the country’s nuclear weapons program, an American-based institute said Thursday, citing the latest satellite imagery of the building site.

[link to www.nytimes.com]

N Korea ain't listenin to China fo SHYT

UN probes 'arms sales from N Korea to Syria

The plot thickens...

A UN panel of experts that monitors compliance with sanctions on North Korea is investigating reports of possible weapons-related shipments by Pyongyang to Syria and Myanmar, the panel said in a confidential report.

One of the cases involving suspected illicit arms trade with Syria was reported to the council's sanctions committee last month.

"In April 2012, France reported to the committee that it had inspected and seized in November 2010 an illicit shipment of arms-related materiel originating from the DPRK and destined for Syria," the report said.

[link to www.aljazeera.com]

Assad and Jong Un. Working together to oppress and destroy their own people.