Prelude to Conflict: Asia, June 23

Prelude To Conflict

I lieu of Beijing’s diplomatic envoy to Vietnam last week over “oil tensions”, it seems that Beijing may be secretly planning to send many more envoys to many more places over many more “tensions”. According to one wired blogger, “tension” is not merely a RESULT of Beijing’s policy—“tension” IS Beijing’s policy. This tension always seems to indicate what Beijing fears may be stronger than their Confucian version of Communism.

The spike in tensions between Beijing and Hong Kong, especially in recent weeks, is not merely about Beijing v Hong Kong, but about how Britain could become involved, and by implication the US. Britain still has a dog in that fight and the crown can flex its English muscles if Beijing demonstrates that they broke their promise: that Hong Kong would remain autonomous for 50 years following the 1997 return to Chinese sovereignty.

The recent privately organized and…