China and Korean Conflict

When world news is not focused on vuvuzelas, talk is all about tension between North and South Korea, and speculations about China's likely involvement are usually included. I would like to add my own.

I don't think China has any interest in helping North Korea with anything. Just because both are labeled as Communist countries does not mean that they have much in common. China did not even want to get involved in the Korean War in the '50s, and the country's apathetic feelings have probably become more so. Involvement in the Korean War, for China, was more about working against Western influence than it was about fighting for North Korea or even for supporting Communism elsewhere in the world. The countries are not all buddy-buddy like many people believe. References to long-standing good relations between China and North Korea are really a pet peeve of mine.

And with North Korea not being seen as a major threat, I doubt China would want to pull all the weight and destroy relations with the rest of the world. Just not going to happen. So don't hold your breath. But I do hope the United States responds with swift action if fighting breaks out. We think we can save the world, which is why everyone hates us, so we had better deliver when the opportunity arises.

Bridge to No Where

Last August I visited Dandong, China, on the border with North Korea. I took a boat on the Yalu River, which separates Dandong from a North Korean city (Sinuiju is its Chinese name). Seeing North Korea was possibly the most memorable part of my trip to China.

I took some video there and here is some of the footage, set to a song by A Rotterdam November. (It's also on Youtube if you're having trouble viewing it here.)

Travel Update

It's hard to get online while traveling! Here's a quick update of what I've been up to and where I plan to go:

After staying with my friend Bei, I took a bus to Yulin where there is a cool section of the Great Wall as well as some rock gorges that have Buddhist temples in them. From Yulin I took a bus to Taiyuan where my friend Lei lives. We visited the ancient city of Pingyao together.

From Taiyuan I took a train to Datong and saw the "hanging temples" on a mountainside as well as more Buddhist caves. I arrived in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, where I am currently, by train from Datong yesterday afternoon.

This afternoon I'm taking a train to Baotou, also in Inner Mongolia. From Baotou I would like to take a train overnight to Tongliao, then on to Shenyang, and then to Dandong. Dandong is on the border with North Korea and seems like a very interesting city. After Dandong, I plan to go to Beijing and stay for a few days before flying home!

Based on the past few weeks of traveling, I'm sure these plans will change!