'Beijing secured some assistance from its partners in Russia and North Korea on Friday. Both those nations took actions that force the US military to spread its resources thinner.' -TomRtweets
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un fired off a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, while Russia conducted snap naval exercises with its Pacific fleet. At the margin, these actions complicate the U.S. military's focus on deterring China and preparing for a possible confrontation with the People's Liberation Army. That concern is increasingly urgent in view of Chinese President Xi Jinping's aspiration to subjugate Taiwan before the decade is out.
At the same time, Russia's Pacific fleet went on full alert status for snap combat exercises on Friday. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the forces would train to"repel massive missile and air strikes, conduct exercises to search for and destroy submarines, carry out torpedo, artillery fire, and missile launches in the course of destroying naval strike groups and ground targets of a mock enemy.
This is a clear nod toward Japan, which is engaged in a long-term dispute with Russia over the sovereignty of four Russian-occupied islands just northeast of its northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido. And while Japan is not going to attempt a military seizure of the islands anytime soon, China benefits from Russia's escalation in this area. Its submarine and anti-ship missile forces are potent enough to demand the attention of U.S. commanders.
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