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Time for China to play leading role in islands dispute

By Chen Guangwen: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, September 11, 2012

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Of mice and menace [By Jia Qiang/China.org.cn]

The dispute over the demarcation of the East China Sea and its oil fields has been a perennial thorn in the side of Sino-Japanese relations. Although China has drilled several oil and gas wells over the course of several years, it has refrained from putting the wells into production because of ongoing protests from the Japanese side. China decided to seal the wells as a result of Japanese protests, despite the fact that the wells are capable of yielding oil and gas.

Now, though, the situation is different with Japan attempting to change the status quo of the Diaoyu Islands. As Japan is acting such a manner, why shouldn't China act to change the status quo of the East China Sea? If Japan refuses to listen and continues pushing its plans to nationalize the Diaoyu Islands, China should both act in response to this and announce plans to begin full-scale production at its oil and gas wells in the East China Sea. China should make good on its plans as Japan continues to head in entirely the wrong direction.

Just as Japan appears to have no wish to discuss the Diaoyu Islands with China, China also has no obligation to work on resolving the East China Sea demarcation dispute. In so doing, China can rightfully exploit the oil and gas reserves there.

It is my belief that if China plays this card, Japan will spiral into panic. Meanwhile, as Japan doesn't actually have any drilling wells near the midline of the East China Sea and has no immediate capability to exploit the resources in the area, China's unilateral move will render Japan passive, and thus unable to respond.

China can also act on the issue of the South Kuril Islands. It is well known that Japan is very sensitive about any possible collaboration between Russia and other countries regarding the South Kuril Islands. Previously, investors from South Korea, the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong visited the islands to undertake an investment inspection and survey, which prompted protests from the Japanese government, leading to a total cessation of all activities on the islands.

Now, as tensions increase over the Diaoyu Islands, China could once again consider playing this card.

The two cards mentioned are effective bypassing strategies which China can use to its advantage in the Diaoyu Islands dispute. With these two cards in its possession, China has the ability to inform Japan that it cannot simply act unilaterally without considering the implications of its actions on others. China can also let Japan know that it will not always have the initiative in the Diaoyu Islands dispute with China merely playing catch up. These two cards undoubtedly let China regain some of the initiative, but unfortunately cannot change the fact that Japan plans to "nationalize" the Diaoyu Islands.

The author is a well-known Chinese columnist for several major Chinese publications on international affairs, as well as military encyclopaedia news papers and magazines such as "Weapon Magazine" and "Global Times."

(This post was first published in Chinese and translated by Zhang Rui.)

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.