PLA warships off Alaska a ‘smart strategic move’: Duowei

According to Pentagon sources, the five PLA vessels — comprising three surface combatants, an amphibious warship and a fleet oiler — made an “innocent passage” passing within 12 nautical miles of the Aleutian Islands that border the southern edge of the Bering Sea on Sept. 2….

While the Chinese military often conducts missions in the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Malacca as well as the East China and South China seas, this marks the first time PLA ships have been spotted near Alaska. Prior to this, the closest PLA vessels have approached to the US mainland was to participate in the US-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, held every two years around Hawaii.

Kim Jong-un disappears as regime in dire straits: Duowei

The real reason North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has disappeared for the last three weeks is more related to politics than to his ailing health, claims Duowei News, a US-based Chinese political news website.

The 31-year-old Kim has not appeared in public for more than 20 days and missed a parliamentary session for the first time since becoming North Korea’s supreme leader nearly three years ago.

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While North Korea’s state media later admitted that Kim has been “suffering discomfort,” Duowei claims that the real reason Kim has not been seen since Sept. 3 is because of dire instability in his regime. Citing rumors circulating in North Korea’s political circles, Duowei suggests that Kim may have already been placed under house arrest by Hwang, who forced Kim elevate him to second-in-command as part of his plan to eventually usurp Kim’s throne.

PLA sub’s Sri Lanka visit suggests China projecting power into Indian Ocean

The Changzheng 2, a Type 091 Han-class nuclear-powered submarine has become the first Chinese submarine to visit Colombo Harbor in Sri Lanka according to the website of state-run Sri Lanka News on Sept. 15.