Donald trump’s trade dispute brings the two rivals Japan and China to the table. This is not easy. But Japan can no longer blindly rely on the United States, said Frank Sieren.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (li.) and China’s President Xi Jinping, at their recent Meeting two weeks ago
Exactly six years ago, in September 2012, and gave vent to the hatred on the streets of Beijing. Thousands are attracted by the party orchestrated with Transparent in front of the Japanese Embassy. Occasionally, Japanese flags were burned. Bottles and stones flew. Owner of adjacent Sushi Restaurants hoisted the white Flag by banners with pro-Chinese slogans hung in the window. The trigger for the unrest, the announcement of Japan to buy parts of an uninhabited group of Islands in the East China sea, which is called in Japan as Senkaku and China, Diaoyu, and which both countries claim. Several Japanese companies had to close their offices in the people’s Republic temporarily, to Branda estimation and looting. The government in Beijing, otherwise no friend of public expressions of Opinion, evaluated the protests as an “expression of Patriotism”.
Long these largely staged protests did not last, however. The people in China had better things to do than to demonstrate against Japan. Today, more than ever. Not only the Beijing police driving Japanese cars. Chinese like to travel to the Shop to Tokyo. Japanese products are viewed in China, which is repeatedly shaken by food scandals, because of their hygienic Standards are high, and the Japanese Restaurants in China.
More Relaxed Pitch
While it noted the conflict in the everyday life, more relaxed now even on a political diplomatic level, the Pitch, even if there are still points of dispute: The island dispute is just one of the many themes that impacted the traditionally problematic relationship between the neighboring countries today. The biggest reproach from Beijing: Japan’s government has worked up the to the Chinese population, the atrocities committed during the Second world war, previously only open to the public. But in the meantime it is almost a Routine, when the state media people’s boiling anger after a senior Japanese politician has come to the Yasukuni Shrine in the heart of Tokyo, where among the two million fallen Japanese soldiers, also 14 by the International military Tribunal of the war criminals sentenced. Just as matter-of-factly and not at all on the escalation of the reactions were in action last week after a U-boat-maneuver the Japanese. The use of to the southwest, the China controlled the Scarborough reef in the South China sea have served to “improve strategic techniques”, reported the defense Ministry in Tokyo. Beijing countered that Japan should be “cautious and avoid anything that might to the regional peace and stability damage”. Thus, the issue was settled. Distrust, hurt.
The Yasukini Shrine to honor the Japanese war dead in the vicinity of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
Since Donald Trump is half the world in a trade dispute draws and the Asia-announces-American-trade agreements, TPP, this should serve as a counter-weight to China, certainly the Japanese to irritate China unnecessarily. Beijing, also to relaxation it wisely, not too bad for big Gestures. In may, visited China’s Premier Li Keqiang Tokyo the first Japan visit by a senior Chinese politician, for eight years. The return visit will be soon to follow: On 23. October, the 40. Anniversary of the Japanese-Chinese peace Treaty, is expected to be Japan’s Premier, Shinzo Abe, to the “innovation dialogue” in Beijing. On the Agenda of the three-day meeting with Premier Li Keqiang and state and party chief Xi Jinping, also a closer cooperation in the future, technologies such as artificial intelligence and self – driving cars are in addition to the joint Agricultural and infrastructure projects. The trade between the two countries is growing strongly. In 2017, the Japanese export business to China, more than 20 percent. 35.2 percent of the Goods Japan in the first seven months of this year in Asia, sold, went to China – an increase of over ten percent compared to the previous year. The economic realities displace the political animosities so, piece by piece. The times, in which Japan undoubtedly side has tried to side with the United States, to limit the influence of China in Asia, go to the end.
DW-columnist Frank Sieren
Japan is looking for new sales markets
The high trade deficit with the US forces in Tokyo now economic Alternatives to look for. 2017 there were just under 70 billion dollars. For Trump’s proof enough that Japan is exploiting the United States economically. He desires “a change of seitigere relationship,” wrote the US President at the beginning of the week on Twitter. That means nothing Good, Tokyo is clear. Trump would like to conclude new bilateral free trade agreements with Japan, as a replacement for the Pacific trade agreement TPP, the he giving up already in the first week in the presidency. The past week as party chief re-elected Abe relies on multilateral agreements. Supposedly, Trump is now considering a 25 percent punitive tariffs on Japanese Goods, particularly cars. That would make the Japanese industry hard. 47 per cent of its cars and Trucks to be sold on the American market.
Beijing would, in turn, compensate for the losses due to American punitive tariffs by an even closer cooperation with Japan, for example, in the future, more agricultural products are sold in the neighbouring country. For Japan, China is becoming more and more important. 2017 exports to China, already a third of the Japanese economic growth.
China wants to benefit from Japan’s contacts
Beijing wants to use Japan like to become stronger in his project of the century, the “New silk road”, for example, with a new economic corridor to Thailand, where in the East of the country is just a gigantic, state-funded economic zone, sea ports, with new Deep, motorways, high-speed rail routes and airports. Through years of investment in Thailand Tokyo has more experience and a larger network in Thailand as Beijing. This is helpful to you. Tokyo could put a sign in the direction of Washington, that it can be done differently.
If Donald Trump put his at the Korea summit in Singapore expressed project and American troops from South Korea should withdraw, is also to flare up the discussion of the whereabouts of the American troops in Japan. At the beginning of September there was again a wave of articles in the Japanese media, which argued in exactly this direction. Many Japanese have taken Trump evil, that you have played with the summit meeting between Trump and Kim in June, has no role. Also, this means new game room, to defuse the tensions between China and Japan. That Asians self-regulate without the help of the West, their conflicts now, after all, a positive result of Trump’s politics. Even if unintentional.
Our columnist Frank Sieren has lived for more than 20 years in Beijing.