Conflict escalation on Korean Peninsula
Let’s continue to explore the under-reported sides of news this week.
What You May Have Missed This Week
1. North Korea blows up inter-Korean road, rail lines near border
“North Korea blew up sections of inter-Korean roads and rail lines on its side of the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas on Tuesday, prompting South Korea's military to fire warning shots.”
2. North Korea orders border troops ‘get ready to open fire’ after drone claims
“North Korea briefly ordered its troops along the South Korean border to stand ready to fire after accusing Seoul of sending drones into its capital Pyongyang in what it called a ‘war provocation.’”
3. Gaza: UN chief condemns rising civilian casualties in the north
“‘[The Secretary-General] strongly urges all parties to the conflict to comply with international humanitarian law and emphasizes that civilians must be respected and protected at all times,’ UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said at the regular press briefing in New York.”
4. MintPress News - A US-Iran War: What the Battlefield Could Actually Look Like
“While U.S. Congress showed strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statements on Iran in July, the media has largely shied away from coverage of what potential American involvement in an Israeli-Iranian conflict could look like.”
5. Jacobin - The US’s Long History of Destabilizing Iran
“For twelve months since last October, US leaders have cheered on Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza, even as the genocide there — funded and armed by the United States — has killed over forty thousand Palestinians, roughly half of them women and children. The cheers have continued as Israel has expanded its bombardments to, now, three other Arab countries: Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria.”
6. Politico - California officials cite Elon Musk’s politics in rejecting SpaceX launches
“Elon Musk’s tweets about the presidential election and spreading falsehoods about Hurricane Helene are endangering his ability to launch rockets off California’s central coast. The California Coastal Commission on Thursday rejected the Air Force’s plan to give SpaceX permission to launch up to 50 rockets a year from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County.”
Jingjing’s Highlights in This Week
1. Why the U.S. is so determined to contain China?
2. Cyrus Janssen - What This Chinese Girl Told Me in Tiananmen Square Will Shock You!
“What is China like in 2024? I flew to Beijing to visit Tiananmen Square on China's 75th Anniversary Celebration and had the chance to interview Li Jingjing and hear a local Chinese girl's thoughts on China's past, present, and future! Enjoy this interview live from Beijing, China!”
3. Danny Haiphong - You Won't Believe What China is Doing to the U.S. Military: Beijing Journalists Expose the Truth
“In this never before seen roundtable discussion with China-based analysts and Li Jingjing, Zoon Khan Ahmed, and Li Fangfang, we dive into the rising war tensions between China and the U.S. and answer the biggest geopolitical questions about the threat of conflict, the prospects for peace, and how China-US relations will shape the future of the planet for decades to come.”
Page Editor: Jin Yulin
Call for Contributors!
I’ve added an “ Op-Ed” section to China Up Close. It’s an open platform I specifically designed to let everyone share their own perspectives with the world. Articles can be related to any topic as long as you’re highly passionate about it! Article length is recommended to be within 700 - 900 words.
If you have an idea for an Op-Ed, contact jjnewsletter@hotmail.com with a brief description of the article's focus.
Jingjing’s Social Media Links
X: @Jingjing_Li YouTube: @Jingjing_Li Facebook: Talk it Out with Li Jingjing
TikTok: @iamlijingjing Reddit: r/NewsWithJingjing Instagram: @jj_ontheroad
Here in Australia we don't hear much about the political history of Korea, in fact most don't know that the 'Korean War' as it is known never ended, but I can understand the North not wanting US military bases on their border. Just as Russia and China don't want them.
But maybe they could exist as two separate adjacent countries with the normal international relationships, depending on what the people want of course. And whatever normal international relationships actually are these days.