Hatching a plan to contain China
- By Chen Guangwen
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E-mail China.org.cn, May 22, 2012
On May 18, Philippine Defense Minister Voltaire Gazmin said that the Philippines would acquire ten new patrol ships from Japan to boost the country's territorial defenses in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Vice Admiral Edmund Tan of the Philippine Coast Guard said the patrol ships will be used by the Philippine coast guard. He also said that the acquisition of ships from Japan is currently awaiting approval from the National Economic Development Authority. According to the Philippine media, Japan plans to provide the country with ships including 1000-ton patrol vessels by the end of the year to support it in its territorial disputes with China.
This is not the first time that Japan has used the South China Sea issue to confront China. But becoming as directly involved as to actual provide patrol ships to the Philippines, in full knowledge of their intended use, is a new development. This is the Japanese government's first decision since it relaxed its Three Principles on Arms Exports last year.
According to Kyodo News, the Japanese government will provide armored and armed patrol ships to the Philippines through the Official Development Assistance program. Once finalized, the program will herald a dangerous new cycle in Japanese arms exports. It is clear that Japan will openly sell weapons to any country in future.
Besides the patrol ships, Japan made another breakthrough by signing an agreement with both the Philippines and United States for its defense forces to use the U.S. army bases on Palawan Island and Luzon Island. The agreement allows Japanese defense forces to station themselves on either island for long periods of time, thereby being able to support the U.S. army in wartime, and contain China in the South China Sea when necessary.
It has been said that Japan's sale of patrol ships to the Philippines has both muddied the waters of the South China Sea issue and acted to counterbalance China's influence. Some have stated that it shows Japan's willingness to intervene militarily in the South China Sea issue.
Meanwhile, Japan is also forging closer ties with Vietnam, another country claiming sovereignty in this region. The leaders of Japan and Vietnam have paid mutual visits to each other's countries and increased Japanese assistance to Vietnam has also been interpreted as an anti-Chinese measure.
At a summit held last September, the leaders of Japan and the Philippines agreed that Japan would aid the Philippines in terms of strengthening its garrison force in the South China Sea and training the Philippine coast Guard. In addition, both sides will share intelligence regarding matters in the South China Sea. It is therefore clear that Japan is establishing a platform of full engagement in the region. As Japan is already engaged in a dispute with China over the sovereignty of Diaoyu Island, aiding the Philippines in its territorial disputes with China in this way could dramatically escalate tensions in the region.
It is not hard to understand Japan's intentions. As a country outside the region, Japan's active engagement has two main purposes. One is to distract China's attention from Diaoyu Island and the East China Sea. Japan wants to use the disputes between China and other South East Asian countries as bargaining chips in its negotiations with China on the issue of Diaoyu Island. The second purpose is to protect its interests relating to its freedom of navigation and resource development in the South China Sea.
Japan's actions are also connected with the U.S. "pivot to Asia" strategy. By reacting to U.S. adjustments in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan hopes to enhance its role in the South China Sea issue as well as further its relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations through dialogue and communication. Japan is also concerned that it will have weaker ties to ASEAN than China in future and, as a result, it has formed a related southward strategy.
Actually, both Japan and the Philippines are concerned about China's peaceful rise, despite its good intentions based on the policy of "building an amicable, tranquil and prosperous neighborhood." The Philippines has already benefited from China's rise and concomitant bilateral trade. Even in the Huangyan Island dispute, China did not react with force to Philippine stubbornness. By contrast, the recent warming of relations between Japan and the Philippines is clearly based on the intention to counter China's growing regional influence.
The author is a commentator on international issues.
(This post was first published in Chinese and translated by Li Shen.)
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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