Encircling China: Making It Work

Published in Sankei News
(Japan) on 23 September 2021
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Dorothy Phoenix. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
In an address before the United Nations General Assembly, his first since taking office, President Joe Biden said that with the conclusion of the conflict in Afghanistan, "the United States turns [its] focus to the priorities and the regions of the world, like the Indo-Pacific, that are most consequential," pointing to a policy that will focus on America’s rivalry with China.

Biden added that as it "close[s] this period of relentless war" and "open[s] a new era of relentless diplomacy," the U.S. looks to emphasize cooperation with allies, friendly nations, and regional organizations, and providing world leadership.

Leaders from every country share their diplomatic goals and strategies with the world at these annual United Nations sessions, so the remarks carry significant weight.

Biden prioritized strengthening relationships with allies and friendly nations. He alluded to the framework of nations known as the Quad (consisting of Japan, Australia and India, as well as the U.S.) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

We can see that there is steady progress in encircling China. The foundation of a new security pact framework with Australia and the U.K., known as AUKUS, is another significant step. The U.S. and U.K. are also facilitating Australia’s operation of nuclear submarines.

The recent AUKUS partnership caused France to take a tougher position with the U.S. when its original plans to develop submarines with Australia were cancelled, leading France to recall its ambassadors from Australia and the U.S.

The U.S. and France share what can be called universal values such as freedom, democracy and a market economy. However, one cannot sustain the link between countries merely on shared ideals.

It is natural for conflicts of interests to arise, and we hope that allied and friendly nations will reflect on overcoming these conflicts. Whether or not the encirclement of China will truly work will depend on this. We hope the U.S. and France will work to restore their relationship at this early stage.

Biden's speech was insufficient in that it did not specifically mention China. On the other hand, in a video address, Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the U.S. in mind, stated that nations "must strengthen solidarity and promote mutual respect and win-win cooperation in conducting international relations," as he called for international coexistence between both countries. This statement was meant to discourage the encirclement of China, and cannot be taken at face value.

It is regrettable that Biden failed to mention the state of North Korea's denuclearization or its kidnapping of Japanese people. In his first speech to the U.N., former President Donald Trump mentioned that North Korea "kidnapped a sweet 13-year-old Japanese girl," censuring the country. The Biden administration has so far appeared to leave the problem of North Korea untouched. We hope that it will marshal the power of allied and friendly nations and take swift action.


バイデン氏演説 対中包囲網を機能させよ

バイデン米大統領が就任後初めて臨んだ国連総会の一般討論演説で、アフガニスタンの紛争を終わらせたとして「最も重要なインド太平洋に焦点を移す」と述べ、中国への対抗に注力する姿勢を示した。

「戦争の時代の幕引き、外交の時代の幕開け」でもあり、米国は同盟・友邦諸国、地域機構と連携し、世界を導くと強調した。

毎年この時期の国連演説は、各国首脳らが、外交分野の理念や戦略を世界に向けて表明するもので、発言の意味は重い。

バイデン大統領は、同盟・友邦諸国との関係強化を優先させてきたとし、日本、オーストラリア、インドとの枠組み(クアッド)や東南アジア諸国連合(ASEAN)にも言及した。

中国包囲網の構築が着々と進んでいることであり、評価できる。英豪との新たな安全保障上の枠組み、AUKUS(オーカス)の創設も大きな一歩だ。豪の原子力潜水艦保有を米英が支援する。

もっとも、この一件をめぐっては、豪との潜水艦開発計画を破棄されたフランスが態度を硬化させ、駐米、駐豪大使をそろって召還する事態に発展した。

米仏はともに自由や民主主義、市場経済といった普遍的価値を共有している。ただし、国と国との連携は、理念の共有だけでは成り立たない。

利害対立が起きるのは当然であり、それを乗り越える努力をするのが同盟・友邦諸国と考えたい。対中包囲網が真に機能するかどうか、これからが本番だ。米仏は早期の関係修復を図ってほしい。

物足りなかったのは、バイデン大統領が演説で、「中国」という言葉を避け、名指ししなかったことだ。一方、中国は習近平国家主席がビデオ演説で、米国を念頭に「相互利益の協力に基づく新たな国際関係を構築する必要がある」と述べ、両国が共存する国際秩序を呼びかけた。包囲網の動きを牽制(けんせい)したものである。額面通りに受け取ることはできない。

バイデン大統領が北朝鮮の非核化関連で日本人拉致に言及しなかったのは残念だ。トランプ前大統領は最初の国連演説で「13歳の日本人の少女を拉致した」と述べ、北朝鮮を糾弾した。バイデン政権は北朝鮮問題にいまだ手つかずの印象だ。同盟・友邦諸国の力を結集し、早急に動いてほしい。
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