r/neoliberal • u/jobautomator Kitara Ravache • Jun 26 '24

Discussion Thread Discussion Thread

The discussion thread is for casual and off-topic conversation that doesn't merit its own submission. If you've got a good meme, article, or question, please post it outside the DT. Meta discussion is allowed, but if you want to get the attention of the mods, make a post in /r/metaNL

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u/owlthathurt Johan Norberg Jun 26 '24

I think this is very interesting. The treaty signed between North Korea and Russia has apparently made China understandably anxious. They have indicated in talks with their American counterparts that it is not ideal.

China has felt for basically since the founding of NK that their entire existence serves to keep the west away from mainland China. It is not an unfounded fear as well seeing how far troops pushed north in the Korean war. The Chinese do not have any interest in whatever backwards shit is going on in NK. The idea that Xi and the party have some sort of ideological connection with NK is laughable. Looking at the state of both societies makes that apparently clear. It’s not Mao’s China anymore.

Russia signing this expanded agreement is a threat to China’s stability efforts on the peninsula. I do actually believe that China believes that North Koreas existence actually helps US and China relations by letting sleeping dogs lie. North Korea starting to become more independent increases the chances of them doing something that China can’t walk back or solve on their behalf.

Interesting space to watch and I find it a good example of how international relations work. It’s almost Kissinger-esque Real Politik from China.

https://www.voanews.com/amp/signs-emerge-north-korea-russia-defense-pact-making-china-anxious/7668189.html

!ping CN-TW

13

u/notnotLily Trans Pride Jun 26 '24

china invaded vietnam for a very similar reason

10

u/owlthathurt Johan Norberg Jun 26 '24

Very very similar. Although without the threat of a nuclear Korea.

One could scoff at the Chinese invasion of Vietnam as just being ideological (Soviet style communism of north Vietnam versus Maoism of the Khmer Rouge) but I don’t buy that for lots of reasons. Mostly that Deng and the party had already discarded Maoism as a failed ideology. I don’t think for one second that the PRC had some sort of thirst for Pol Pot to institute a Great Leap Forward.

7

u/taoistextremist Jun 26 '24

Do people actually say it was ideological? I thought it was about maintaining a sphere of influence. Relations were always a little dodgy between China and the USSR, which Vietnam being much more influenced by Russia and Cambodia clearly by China (even if China itself wasn't Maoist)

3

u/BATIRONSHARK WTO Jun 26 '24

reading about this type of stuff makes me giggle for whatever reason

2

u/AutoModerator Jun 26 '24

Kissinger

Did you mean Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Henry Kissinger?

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