Xi’s purge of his most trusted general highlights a structural contradiction of dictatorships: powerful number twos are ultimately expendable—signaling rising elite tension and a likely rift between Kim Jong Un and his number two, Choe Ryong Hae.

Xi Jinping’s call for “patience” on North Korea’s nuclear issue is not about a peace effort but about buying time for North Korea to strengthen itself while serving China’s strategic interests. News Summary On January 7, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged “patience” on North Korea’s nuclear issue when South Korean President Lee Jae Myung asked China to act as a mediator for peace on the Korean Peninsula. However, China’s official statement following the summit made no refere