Quantcast
Channel: Pax Americana Institute » Vietnam
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 2

China-Japan Crisis Reminds Asia of Need for U.S. Power

0
0

The recent arrest of a Chinese trawler captain by Japan became a major international incident between the two Asian powers.  The situation appeared to come to an end when Japan released Captain Zhan Qixiong, but China has now demanded a formal apology and financial compensation from Japan. In perceived retaliation against Japan, China continues to detain four Japanese nationals.  What would be a non-issue in other circumstances has now become a major crisis for these governments.  

After the 2009 Japanese elections, analysts warned of a weakening Japanese-U.S. alliance as Japanese ties with China were supposed to strengthen.  What a difference a year can make.  At a moment when a new Japanese government rose to power talking about greater regional economic and security integration and the decline of U.S. power, China decided to become more aggressive, effectively reminding other East Asian powers why the United States is so essential to their security.  China’s military buildup, failure to condemn North Korea, and generally aggressive attitude have reignited concern amongst China’s neighbors over what role China plans to play as it increases its regional influence.

Other Asian countries have taken note of China’s growing military power. India’s new military strategy calls for India to fight a two front war. Vietnam has been seeking closer defensive ties. South Korea is again firmly in the U.S. camp after North Korea’s naval attack and China’s decision to effectively side with North Korea.

What should the United States do? America has interests in essentially maintaining the status quo, keeping and strengthening its security commitments to its Asian allies while offering support to other non-aligned nations threatened by a rising China.

The United States should make sure not to send the wrong signals to China. Beijing considers America, the dominant power, to be in decline and believes in its own capacities to fill what it sees as a developing void.  China’s economic growth and military modernization, combined with existing American commitments elsewhere in central Asia and American economic downturn, have given China the idea that its time has come.  Despite this confidence, the Chinese leadership has misjudged how its neighbors will react to its moves within the region, and when states fail to understand the geopolitical environment, wars sometimes result.

U.S. rhetoric should avoid talk about reducing security commitments or military capabilities, especially in a domestic political environment which is debating budget reductions and what role America should play in the world. In addition, the United States should ensure it has clear lines of communication into China. Resuming military-to-military contacts between the two nations would be a good start.

The United States will face a difficult decision in coming years on how to encourage or discourage Japanese rearmament. Japan’s release of the Chinese captain has sparked right-wing protests in Japan.  Japan has also expanded its military capabilities in recent years and discussed significantly altering its constitution to permit further expansion. At some point, Japan will decide whether it will continue to rely on America for the bulk of its defense. The extent to which Japan rearms should be discussed extensively with the United States and Japan’s other regional allies. The time for laying the groundwork for such a conversation is now, while there is time for sound strategic thinking and long-term preparation, instead of waiting for crisis to strike again before facing these questions.

This is a perfect example of why there is still great demand for American hard power in the world. The U.S. military’s ability to contribute to security in the region is a major reason why America continues to be welcomed by many allies. Whether it is taking the lead in dealing with North Korea, balancing against China, or maintaining the sea-lanes of communication, U.S. power fills many important security roles in Asia.

Craig Caruana is a PAI Fellow in National Security Affairs.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 2

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images