By Jin Kai
China believes it can drive a wedge in the U.S. alliance structure by expanding its ties with South Korea.
Chinese leaders have reasons to frown at their Japanese counterparts’ remarks and behaviors regarding the enduring disputes in the East China Sea. What’s more, comments made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stressing that the United States “remains as committed as ever” to protecting Japan, including “with respect to the East China Sea,” have made the situation more dramatic. However, it seems that Seoul is not with the “other side” at the moment, and Beijing won’t have to worry about a face-off with “The Three Musketeers.”
A South Korean analyst raised a question to me in a seminar a few days ago: “Why did China suddenly put on such a friendly face to South Korea recently? I don’t like Japanese leaders’ behavior, but I cannot say that I truly like China’s recent moves.” As examples, she mentioned China’s announcement of an ADIZ in the East China Sea (which overlaps a bit with that of South Korea), China’s high-profile opening ceremony for the Ahn Jung-geun Memorial in Harbin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping sending a birthday card to his South Korean counterpart, President Park Geun-hye. I made my response, which another South Korean scholar agreed with, using a single term – “empathy.”
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