Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top

Focus on China

Abe to offer Japan as China counterweight, at Asian defence forum

Some ASEAN members have been bolder than others in standing up to China; Vietnam and the Philippines have both proved willing to push back, despite their relative military weakness that would likely see them squashed in any tussle.

Others have been less keen to put their heads above the parapet for fear of angering the regional paymaster.

– Treading a line –

Beijing, which insists it has the deeds to virtually the whole of the South China Sea, prefers to peel ASEAN members off the pack, cajoling or haranguing them with economics so that it never faces a bloc wide response to its claims to own islands far from its shores.

The most volatile of the rows involving China escalated Tuesday when Hanoi claimed a Chinese vessel had rammed and sunk a fishing boat near a drilling rig in contested waters.

No one was hurt in the incident, but it was believed to be the first sinking since ships from the two sides started duelling over the area several weeks ago.

Suga said if the reports were true, the ramming was an “extremely dangerous act”.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Tuesday, Abe said Beijing’s “unilateral drilling activities” for oil in waters claimed also by Hanoi have led to a “heightening of tensions”.

“We will never tolerate the change of status quo by force or coercion,” Abe told the paper.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Last weekend, Japan accused China of “dangerous” manoeuvres, saying Chinese fighters twice flew too close to Japanese military aircraft where the countries’ air defence identification zones overlap.

While much of Asia — save China and the Korean peninsula — appears at ease with a more engaged Japan, Abe must face down opposition at home for plans to allow his armed forces to engage in collective defence, coming to the aid of allies under fire, something barred under current interpretations of Japan’s constitution.

But, warns Sophia University’s Nakano, while he may be pushing against an open door with ASEAN, he would be wise not to push too hard and make member nations feel they were being asked to choose between Tokyo and Beijing.

“While Japan’s approach itself should not trouble ASEAN, it might not win many friends if it appears to be giving primacy to besieging China,” he said.

About The Author

Pages: 1 2

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News