According to Wang, the U.S., Seoul, and North Korea are implementing a "brinkmanship" policy, which has substantially increased the possibility of military confrontation. Once such a confrontation took place, it would probably not be an "accidental discharge" nor could any party control the situation.

Wang believed that the U.S. and South Korea have long been planning a military strike against North Korea and that the motivation for such a strike may now be ripe. 

Wang expressed that the military strike against North Korea would be likely to consist of four stages: first, a small scale attack on North Korea’s satellite launch site and the destruction of their nuclear technology; second, a small and medium scale attack on North Korean nuclear facilities and warehouses at the risk of nuclear contamination; third, a large scale attack on hundreds of military targets already identified, which would paralyze North Korea’s ability to initiate any of its own attacks and to fight back; fourth, a large scale attack to overthrow the North Korean regime by force. 

[Editor’s Note: Analysts noted the timing of Wang’s commentary was during Xi’s visit to the U.S. on nuclear issues.  Some also observed that the North Korean regime has been under the wing of former President Jiang Zemin’s faction. According to sources in the Chinese nuclear industry, North Korea’s nuclear scientists and technicians were trained in China, which also provided North Korea the most cutting-edge nuclear technology.] 

Sources: Huanqiu, March 31, 2016 

http://opinion.huanqiu.com/1152/2016-03/8793171.html?qq-pf-to=pcqq.c2c

Xinhua recently reported that the Japanese Cabinet decided to implement its new security law starting on March 29. The new law allows for Japan’s collective self-defense, which all generations of the Japanese government had banned since the end of the Second World War. The new law also allows the Japanese military to deploy globally for certain missions. Last year, the ruling coalition forcefully passed the new law, ignoring the Japanese people’s strong opposition. The new law is considered a major milestone which represents a significant military policy change from “peaceful self-defense” to active global participation in military activities. According to the new law, as long as the United States, as a treaty-binding ally, makes the request, Japan can legally send troops overseas to offer help to the U.S. The right of collective self-defense was widely thought to be against the Japanese Constitution, since it allows the use of military power without Japan being attacked directly. 

Source: Xinhua, March 22, 2016

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2016-03/22/c_1118404253.htm

The major Taiwanese newspaper China Times recently reported on a number of comments that Mainland media made after the recent election. The just completed Taiwanese presidential election put the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) back in power with control of both the Executive branch and the Congress. Mainland media suggested that, before the official interactions between the authorities on the two sides occur, the governments may, once again, need to test each other’s bottom lines. During this process, non-governmental exchanges could play an important role. There have been a lot of misunderstandings among the people on both sides of the Strait. Some Mainland media leaders expressed the belief that young people who have either study or work experiences in the Mainland typically have a better understanding of the Mainland; they should tell the truth to the Taiwanese people to prevent the expansion of their misunderstanding gap.

Source: China Times, March 22, 2016

http://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20160322006318-260409