By Clint Richards
Japan is lobbying for a high-level visit this weekend despite a lack of concessions.
This weekend’s ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Myanmar represents one of the first real opportunities for Japan and China to communicate on a strategic level this year. Both countries seem to be sending mixed signals by negotiating and posturing at the same time – in fact, the two have been participating in joint naval drills off Japan while also continuing to confront each other in the East China Sea – but each seeks to negotiate from a position of strength. Asserting their preparedness and authority, particularly over disputed territory, could placate their nationalist bases while possibly allowing them to be more forthcoming in bilateral talks.
While the biggest piece of regional news earlier this week was Japan’s new defense white paper, which in large part singled out China as the main destabilizing factor in regional security, the two countries’ coast guards also managed to successfully participate in annual joint naval drills in Japanese waters. The drills, which also involve the U.S., Russia, South Korea and Canada, represent a rare opportunity for the two countries’ naval forces to cooperate with each other, more significantly (at least symbolically) off the shores of the capital, Tokyo.
However, despite the success of the drills, there was also a spike in confrontation in the East China Sea. On Wednesday three Chinese Coast Guard ships sailed within 12 nautical miles of the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands for roughly two hours. While the presence of Chinese ships near these islands is somewhat routine now, Wednesday also saw Japanese F-15’s shadowing Chinese patrol planes in the East China Sea, in what China’s Air Force spokesman called a routine patrol of China’s Air Defense Identification Zone.
Read the full story at The Diplomat