The Asian Underground Railroad

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-northkorea-china-defectors-feature/chinese-raids-hit-north-korean-defectors-underground-railroad-idUKKCN1TH0VH

Beijing fears a massive influx of North Korean refugees. Despite the perceptions of some, the situation with regard to Pyongyang has not stabilised. Xi Jinping's recent visit to the DPRK was an attempt to shore up Kim Jong Un and indeed from his standpoint Xi's visit was a substantial feather in his cap.

There is no love lost between Beijing and Pyongyang and yet the Chinese government (CCP) fears a collapse and the flood of refugees that would result from it. And so they begrudgingly support the Kim regime. Additionally they do not want the Americans or their proxies (like the ROK) deciding the course of events right on their borders. This was in no small part the reason why Mao intervened in the autumn of 1950.

Additionally China is in mortal fear of subversive movements and Western utilisation of subcultures and underground networks. The Asian Underground Railroad which funnels North Korean refugees through China has come under severe scrutiny.

Why is this? Again, the question of a massive refugee influx is certainly one component. No one can say for certain if the numbers are up but they may very well be.

Secondly is the fact that the Underground Railroad is largely led and conducted by Evangelical Christians. And as has been made clear by both the Chinese dissident community and government officials like Mike Pompeo.... there is a relationship between at least some of these Christian groups and the US government.

Does this extend to the Underground Railroad networks? We have no way of knowing. Intuition would tell me there's no relationship. These networks are primarily trying to get North Korean refugees across the border into either Mongolia, Thailand, Cambodia or Vietnam. Once they cross and make contact with the South Koreans... then yes, they will possibly come into contact with US intelligence and be debriefed.

But the networks have the potential to be utilised by the US. Refugees can bring intelligence and indeed there are agents who (on behalf of the Underground networks) infiltrate North Korea. Now that's something US intelligence might be interested in.

Once again the Church having entangled itself with a hostile empire (the United States) has placed all Christians both in China and North Korea in additional danger. The governments of both China and North Korea are indeed evil but at the same time they are both under threat. How do you expect them to act? They are threatened by the United States and its unprecedented military power. South Korea is a proxy of the United States and hosts thousands of its troops and weaponry. The United States also has an archipelago of bases in the Western Pacific... all geared toward Beijing and Pyongyang. North Korea has already suffered severe military devastation at the hands of the United States and Beijing was certainly under threat both today and prior to Nixon's rapprochement in 1972.

Additionally the United States seems to be somehow closely wed with international Evangelicalism. Whether this is exactly true or not doesn't really matter. There are ties and even if they're nebulous the governments of Beijing and Pyongyang aren't going to take the time to understand the subtle differences. From their standpoint, the threat is existential.

And at this very moment they're watching a growing political movement in Hong Kong that is largely inseparable from its Evangelical community. Any fear they have that US money is being channeled into Hong Kong as well as the Underground Church is (I regret to say) probably justified.

They're wicked in their aims and in their desire to maintain a grip on power. But at the same time those Christians who have sought aid from the United States have disobeyed Christ. Going down to Egypt for help they seek solace in a Beast.... and its power over other Beasts.... and the threat of its violence.

This is not in keeping with the imperatives or ethics of the New Testament. The gospel message is (as a result) compromised and what often seems like persecution is in reality retribution for political subversion. The Asian Underground Railroad is a noble enterprise and one worthy of Christ's followers. But given the status of Chinese Evangelicalism and its growing political profile, the testimony even of the smugglers has been compromised.