A military confrontation in the East China Sea is unlikely in the wake of the leadership shift in China and the recent elections in the United States, Taiwanese scholars said Tuesday.
Tsai Ming-yen, professor of international politics at National Chung Hsing University in Taichung, told CNA that he thinks the possibility of a military clash is low as the parties involved in the disputes are big economies that often have more sophisticated crisis management mechanisms.
Japan and the United States have domestic procedures for crisis management, and even China was able to very quickly contain a wave of anti-Japanese protests over the disputed Diaoyutai (Dioayu or Senkaku) islands earlier this year, he said.
The strong diplomatic rhetoric and social mobilization are meant merely to show determination and "test the limits" of the other parties involved, Tsai said.
Nonetheless, the disputes in the East China Sea and South China Sea are unlikely to be resolved soon since they involve a wide scope of issues, ranging from territorial, historical and sovereignty matters to energy development, he said.
Read the full story at Want China Times