[By Jia Qiang/China.org.cn]

Facing piles of domestic political, economic, and social issues, Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has only introduced an old emergency economic policy, and failed to take any other effective measure to solve these issues. He has instead focused on the country’s foreign policy, and made a series of diplomatic moves hailed by the Japanese media as "strategic diplomacy".

Abe started "strategic diplomacy" by calling the leaders of the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Russia, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, and some other countries, and sending special envoys, the deputy prime minister, foreign minister, and other cabinet members to visit South Korea, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, and some other countries. After taking office, Abe had hoped to first visit the United States, but the visit was postponed reportedly due to the U.S. president’s tight schedule. Abe now plans to visit Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, three members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Japanese media have described the Abe administration's diplomatic moves as new attempts to contain and encircle China.

It is fine if Japan's "strategic diplomacy" is simply aimed at improving its relations with the above countries, promoting its foreign trade and investment, creating favorable external conditions for domestic economic recovery, and enhancing its international status and clout.

Japan will be disappointed if it really hopes to work with the above countries to contain, isolate, and encircle China through "strategic diplomacy," and gain a strategic advantage over China in the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands.

First, China's claim to the Diaoyu Islands is justified. It is Japan that provoked the Diaoyu Islands dispute, and China has just adopted countermeasures. Furthermore, Japan’s unjust and illegal occupation of the Diaoyu Islands made it difficult for the country to achieve international support for its claim to the islands.

Second, China has shown restraint in reacting firmly and calmly to Japan's frequent provocations. Although Abe has taken a hardline stance toward China, China has not used the tit-for-tat strategy given the overall and long-term interests of the two countries.

Third, China is confident about properly handling its relations with Japan. Gone are the days when Japan committed atrocities in China. China is now powerful and smart enough to deal with Japan's various provocations and tricks.

It is pure wishful thinking for Japan to encircle China in cooperation with its allies. Even the United States, the world's s only superpower, has admitted that it is unable to contain China's rise, not to mention Japan. The United States once formed a "values alliance," but its relations with other countries fundamentally depend on national interests.

The Abe administration's attempt to encircle China is bound to fail. Abe is actually running blindly around China, and will eventually shift his attention back to improving relations with China. China and China-Japan relations are an unavoidable issue facing Japan, and the Japanese government should make great efforts in this regard.

China attaches great importance to its relations with Japan, and has no intention of coming into conflict with Japan. As Abe just took office, Beijing might as well give him more time. As for Japan's China-related moves, the Chinese government just needs to react calmly, flexibly, and firmly.

Related

• China alert to Japan Diaoyu Islands escalation
• Japan responsible for plight with China
• Japan's diplomacy seeks to isolate China
• Japan's ambassador to China calls diplomacy key

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)