By Jin Kai
Limited strategic space in East Asia makes a long-term solution to China-Japan tensions imperative.
A Chinese idiom says, “One mountain cannot contain two tigers.” Following this logic, a rising China inevitably would be regarded as a threat by the traditional dominant power or alliance in the region. This idiom does reflect Chinese thoughts and worries. The U.S. Asia policy also seems to affirm, in one way or another, China’s concern that the U.S. is returning to Asia to rebalance against or re-contain China.
From a geopolitical view, China and the U.S. in fact have enough reasons and especially the necessary “distance” to keep the peace. What is missing, perhaps, is the vision and courage to do so. The disputes between China and the U.S. are not matters of survival in absolute terms. On the contrary, they are more symbolic than realistic. As the U.S. tries to re-build or re-strengthen the first and second island chain, it shows that the U.S. expects more respect from a rising China. The U.S. seeks a concrete acceptance of or even acquiescence to U.S. dominance in the region, although such dominance has been in a very delicate predicament.
The U.S., however, is actually very lucky. Geopolitically and traditionally, the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans jointly ensure the U.S. the strategic room to initiate an attack out of its territory and also realize effective defense as long as it intends. We may imagine: If Canada or Mexico had only half or even one-third of China’s population or GDP, would the U.S. still be able to always have the upper hand in North America?
Read the full story at The Diplomat