Three themes pervaded Russian writings on East Asia over the summer of 2019 after the G20 summit in Osaka: 1) China—its model, its trade war with the US, its handling of Hong Kong, and Sino-Russian relations; 2) the Korean Peninsula— above all, North Korean-US relations; and 3) the US role in the region—alliances with South Korea and Japan, impact on Hong Kong protests, and strategic and trade relations with China. Ultimately, all themes are connected to Russia’s position in East Asia and its options as regional dynamics are shifting. In turn, these center on the US impact on strategic stability, as discussed in the first article covered. Whether China, the Korean Peninsula, or another area, the framework selected is heavily US-centered, leaving little space for bilateral moves separate from triangularity.

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