Over the past few months, the esteemed world of diplomacy in East Asia has become the global equivalent of leaving passive-aggressive sticky notes, showing an escalation in competition between Japan and China.
Beginning with an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) placed by China in the East China Sea, the United States and Japan have sought to end China’s expansionist policies without causing any actual confrontation. The ADIZ, which encompasses territory claimed by both Japan and South Korea, was the first in a series of power plays that would eventually encompass several countries in South Asia and even some as far as Africa. Meanwhile, the United States finds itself mediating an increasingly expansionist China, Japan’s aggressive rebuttals and the various developing countries which have found themselves in the crossfire.
At first, China’s ADIZ was merely a speed bump for the United States, which unabashedly flew aircraft through the zone with Japan as per military and civilian schedules. However, China responded to this move with outrage, and Japan took it to heart. In response, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the highly controversial Yasukuni war shrine, which honors deceased members of the Japanese military including war criminals from World War II. Invoking the rage of both China and South Korea, whose dislike of each other is no match for their dislike of 1930s-era Japan, Abe’s move proved to be confrontational.
In addition to the ADIZ, China has made its neighbors uncomfortable in other ways through the recent expansion of its power in both Southeast Asia and in Africa. Most recently, China’s southern Hainan province has instituted an official Chinese fishing zone, which includes waters claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan, placing the United States in a very uncomfortable position. The Hainan province has called the zone a mere “technical revision” to existing laws, which has infuriated the affected countries. For its part, the United States has only been able to call the act “provocative and potentially dangerous,” highlighting U.S. ambitions to both have good relations with Southeast Asia and stay away from direct confrontation with China.
This game of chicken might be humorous if the powers involved were not so formidable. Luckily, there is some humor to be found in Japan and China’s handling of African relations.
In a rather fortunate turn of events for the continent of Africa, Japan and China have engaged in a competition to see which country can bolster the strongest economies in the most selfless way. Accusing the Chinese of “buying off African leaders with lavish gifts” in response to heavy Chinese investment in infrastructure there, Japan itself has been accused of aiding Ethiopia, the Ivory Coast and Mozambique for a spot on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). As the BBC reports, Japan has offered $14 billion “in aid and trade deals” to the aforementioned countries in addition to sending industrial professionals to train workers. As a result, various ministerial, industrial and transportation related infrastructure is on the way and the recipients are not complaining.
We can only hope that these two rivals continue bolstering the economies of these developing countries in the most passive-aggressive manner possible without harming their neighbors.
Julian del Prado is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at [email protected].
