The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troop and tank movements were reported in Daqing, located in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, and in the border city of Shenyang, in Liaoning Province.Go to the Free Beacon to read the entire story.
Officials said one key military unit involved in the mobilization is the 190th Mechanized Infantry Brigade based in Benxi, Liaoning Province. The brigade is believed to be the PLA’s frontline combat unit that would respond to any regional conflict or refugee flows. Troops and tank movements also were reported in Dandong, in Liaoning Province.
Fighter jets were reported flying in larger numbers in Fucheng, Hebei Province, and in Zhangwu and Changchun, Liaoning Provinces.
One of China’s Russian-made Su-27 jets crashed on Sunday in Rongcheng, a city directly across the Yellow Sea from the Korean peninsula. The accident may have been part of the increased warplane activity related to the military mobilization, officials said.
First let me say that I continue to be amazed that the American people are so blind to how dangerous the situation is on the Korean Peninsula.
Can you say normalcy bias on steroids?
Second, let me say that the Chinese are playing hardball. While we're making some shows of force, China appears ready to take over the North.
A quick test of your knowledge of military history. Name the units that were part of the now defunct Rapid Deployment Force (RDF). If one of the units you named was the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division then you win a prize. I point that out because even with a limited view of the Chinese Army, the 190th stands out.
The 190th Mechanized Infantry Brigade is one of China's all star units and is modeled on a modern Western style outfit.
I won't even touch the increased activity by China's air force.
I'm more convinced than ever that we're seeing the "Korean Missile Crisis" play out right before our eyes and the news media is missing it.
Or maybe China prepares to repel any type of attack against DPRK?
ReplyDeleteTwo possible preparations :
ReplyDelete-Korea War Bis Repetita
-1939 Poland Invasion ( in accordance with US )
I think the Chinese see the writing on the wall, that North Korea is acting more and more like a mad dog that is moving beyond their control. So if war does break out, the Chinese need to be ready to strike quickly to put down North Korea ASAP. Better the Chinese take care of business themselves than wait for the Americans to show up on their border.
ReplyDeletewe better hope the Chinese are ready to take over N. Korea. If they aren't then we could see stuff spiral quickly.
DeleteIf a war breaks out wouldn't it be better for us if the Chinese wait it out a bit? Wouldn't it be better for us to push up at least 150 km from the DMZ or to Pyongyang? How would the South Koreans feel if their unruly cousins are replaced with the giant dragon that is the new PRC? I would rather have the Norks then the PRC on my doorstep.
DeleteElportonative77, I understand where you're coming from, and in that regard I agree with you. But let's be honest here, how is China not already on our doorstep?
DeleteChina ain't there to go into North Korea. China is there to ensure their border stays secure. The Armoured Brigade is there as a "just in case" the US/NATO sends ground forces in and may/could repeat the rout.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to North Korea's conduct, let's all wait-and-see AFTER the birthday of the grandfather (15 April).
China is probably NKs only hope for some sort of rational 'governance' and elevation to the modern world, given the unrelenting propaganda against the Western world from the regime in place (for generations). There is more to this...
ReplyDeleteIt may be seen that if conflict does arise, China would be in the best position to 'manage' the NK state and provide some sort of rise from the ashes and re entry to the global economy, as SK and or any Western control would be highly unlikely to be successful, or possible. But it will be another long and potentially volatile road of re integration. As to previous comments - China over NK .... China is strong functioning country with excellent global trade volumes, and with tremendous steps taken in recent years to elevate human rights (re-iterate and simplify this statement for any knockers - there have been huge improvements!), alignment to Western governance styles aside, there is some sort of humanity and 'feed the people' efforts... something NK lacks, almost totally.
good analysis but i guess i see things more simply. i think China will seek to rush in and occupy N. Korea because a unified Korea will be a dangerous Korea.
Deletethere is one country in the Pacific that truly terrifies all others. thats the Koreans. they're hellacious fighters, naturally nationalistic and for some reason (and i say this as a compliment) they're warriors from birth. they eat military shit up.
a unified Korea would take a while to make whole but once it was it would quickly rival China economically and its already trouncing it techonologically. oh and did i mention that the Chinese and Koreans are really natural enemies? the only people the Koreans hate more are the Japanese.
want to see the Pacific region go totally batshit nuclear? let korea reunite and they get back on there feet.
I'll take a reunified Korea under the ROK flag 60 years from now rather than a PRC North and a ROK south in 5 years. A North Korea occupied, managed or completely absorbed into the PRC is no good for us, our allies or the West in general.
ReplyDeleteWe'll just be giving the PRC more land, millions of thankful and now devoted (fanatical) North Korea soldiers, and of course a stronghold on the peninsula. We'll also be gaining another headache for us personally and those in favor of Western democracy, constitutional republicanism and free market capitalism in the Asia-Pacific region.
In the event of war I can only hope that the Chinese will stay out of it and let us get to the Yalu.
Another thing that you might want to be pondering on Sol is where do the Russians fit into all this. Vladivostok is only a stone's throw away and they still may feel a bit protective of the Norks.
...or that we and our allies are getting TOO close to their primary Far East city and naval base in the region.
DeleteCan you imagine a North Korea taken over by the PRC. the PRC installs a pro-China North Korean communist gov't and start to rebuild into an extension of the PRC.
ReplyDeleteThen it starts basing aircraft in North Korea? Japan would need to triple its defense spending to defend itself from Chinese strike aircraft.
Of course, the Korean people might not like the PRC meddling in which case I could see South Korea training/arming Korean guerrillas.
I think Sol's fear of war restarting in the region is valid, but I don't understand why everyone is so concerned China will "take over" what is currently North Korea in some form or another. I don't really think that would change things very much. For the sake of the NK people I hope they do. At least under the Chinese they wouldn't starve to death.
ReplyDeleteIf any of the countries in that area aren't worried about China now they're idiots. Them propping up a new government in NK, in my opinion, isn't going to make things drastically worse. At least it'll be the Chinese wasting billions this time playing world police instead of the US.
The United States may have to accept any military strikes from the NorKs much as the Israeli's do from the Palestinian's. We take the hits on our chin and wait for the NorKs to hit someone who will hit back.
ReplyDeleteThe idea is to NOT get involved with countries bent on starting a nuclear world war four.
With Obama this may be the plan.
There have been DPRK Generals arrested and even allegations of one of them attempting to march troops to Pyongyang.
ReplyDeleteLet's assume there was a coup attempt and the KJU is removed/killed. There is a leadership vacuum as different factions align.
There could be some who would welcome Chinese intervention in lieu of re-unification by South Korea because they are fellow commies.
There may also be a faction that supports re-unification with South Korea instead of Chinese intervention.
there could also be a faction that wants an independent NK albeit with better leadership.
Why are the NK doing this? Two reasons:
ReplyDelete1. They want to be seen OUTSIDE NK as a serious threat to regional stability. NK want to be taken seriously. And when I mean "seriously", they want to force SK, Japan, China and US back to the negotiating table so the NK can demand (not ask) for more food and more oil in exchange for nothing. Kim Jung Il has masterfully done this in the past and as soon as the oil and food has been offloaded and into their underground storage, Kim Jung Il would find any reason, like "I don't like the colour of your hair", and he will reneges on the agreement.
Because of this, US, Japan and SK have stopped attending "negotiation" talks. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
2. INSIDE, the family (not the government) want to be seen by the people to be fighting an enemy or risk an uprising. One way of showing to the NK people that the family is gaining tracking is the food that they have "harvested" or the oil to power the power plants in Pyongyang. Without food and oil, the family would look like all-talk.
As April 15 looms closer, the family (Kim Jung Un and his uncle and aunty) will have to do something. A big-bang, as you might call it, in order to gain some form of prestige or to save themselves from humiliation. Asian people will celebrate the birthday of a national hero with pompous celebration, in some cases, fireworks. But for NK, they want to celebrate the birthday of Kim Il Sung with something of a "blast". Kim Jung Il did this in 2010 when he sunk the SK corvette.
With the relocation of the two MRBM to the east coast, they just might just launch those two and be seen on NK TV as "hero". Let's just hope that's all they'll do.
(You'll know when things get serious. I mean the threat. So far, what the media haven't been show are the "surfacing" of any of the Ohio class SSGN. I'm sure one or two are lurking off the Yellow or Korean sea somewhere.)
Kim Jung Un may not be bright but he ain't stupid. Any use of NBC that can be traced back to NK will be a death sentence for him, his family and the rest of the ruling class. They ain't dumb. They maybe stupid. But dumb, they sure ain't.