"Asia expert Danny Russel joins to talk about White House plans to punish China over the coronavirus, how Beijing might respond, and what the hell we should make of Kim Jong Un’s reemergence after weeks of rumors about his health..." Listen to the full episode here: Full Episode

"In 2011 in Beijing, when the U.S. was still dealing with the aftermath of the financial crisis, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told Mr. Biden, 'I’m sorry your economy is in such terrible shape,' according to Danny Russel, then the top White House adviser on Asia, who witnessed the exchange. Mr. Wen questioned whether Beijing’s multibillion-dollar investment in U.S. Treasury bills was safe. "The vice president replied that if China wanted to sell, 'please go ahead,' Mr. Russel recalled. More than 90% [...]

​"'The combination of loose nukes and political conflict is a nightmare scenario for the world,' said Danny Russel, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute, who dealt with North Korea as a National Security Council director at the White House and an assistant secretary of state for Asia. ​'Political turmoil could lead a faction or a commander to brandish or — God forbid — launch a nuclear-armed missile.' "Mr. Russel said that in the event of a leadership struggle, Washington’s [...]

"'[China sees] Trump's alienation of American allies, his kind of obsession with trade numbers, and ignorance of broader economic... and new technology issues, his vulnerability to flattery, and so on,' the former Obama administration official said. 'You know, they see that as creating an unparalleled opportunity, and admittedly that price they have paid is a lot of headaches—a lot of tariffs, a lot of economic pressure and so on.' "'If Trump goes ahead with retaliatory moves, 'Xi Jinping will be absolutely [...]

"The weeks of rumors showed how 'unprepared' the outside world remains 'for a potential political crisis caused by something like the sudden, unexpected death of the dictator in a country bristling with dozens of nuclear weapons,' said Danny Russel, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute. "'We got a glimpse of the danger of loose nukes and worse if the death of Kim Jong-un had unleashed a destabilizing power struggle' in the North, where Mr. Kim had no designated adult [...]

"The former top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Daniel Russel, said the pieces of the puzzle of Kim’s disappearance would take time to assemble. "They rumours had, however, served to focus attention on North Korea’s succession plan, which 'in a monarchical and cult-like dictatorship is filled with risk, and the absence of a designated adult heir compounds that risk many times over,' he said..." Read the full article here: Full Article