Russia joins China to oppose U.S. missile defense in South Korea
Politics & Current Affairs
Top politics and current affairs news for January 13, 2017. Part of the daily The China Project news roundup "Tillerson risks ‘devastating confrontation’ with Beijing."
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China, Russia agree on more ‘countermeasures’ against U.S. anti-missile system: Xinhua / Reuters
For nearly a year now, the U.S. and China have been at odds over an American plan to install a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea. Today, Russia formally announced that it is joining China in opposing the plan and implementing unspecified “countermeasures,” in a statement that characterized U.S. actions as aiming to contain China and Russia. -
China fears sovereignty rows with neighbors may spark ‘patriotic’ protests at home / SCMP
Since the Tiananmen demonstrations of 1989, China has strictly controlled mass protests in nearly all situations — though local protests are generally allowed, as long as they do not question the legitimacy of the Communist Party or “threaten social stability.” Now the authorities see a new reason for concern: rising nationalism. An official responsible for maintaining domestic stability, not usually the type to be quoted in state media, wrote in the Global Times to single out “sovereignty disputes” as a cause of mass protests to watch out for and nip in the bud. For more on China’s struggles to control burgeoning nationalism at home and online, see this Financial Times article (paywall) from Monday.
- Opinion: Australia needs a new foreign policy. Tillerson’s remarks on China make it urgent / The Guardian
- Death penalty for economic crimes in China faces increased scrutiny / Caixin
- China again arrests prominent pastor on suspicion of embezzlement / Reuters
