The US Puts Its Interests First After All

Published in Sin Chew
(Malaysia) on 4 December 2013
by He Hansheng (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Daniel Chow. Edited by Brent Landon.
Lately China has defined its “East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone.” Aircraft flying through the zone should report their flight plans to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Civil Aviation Administration of China. As for aircraft that do not cooperate in the identification process or refuse to follow instructions, China will adopt emergency defensive measures. This declaration undoubtedly shows that this is China’s first move in solving the East China Sea dispute, forcing each of the countries involved back to the negotiating table.

Following the creation of the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone, the U.S. immediately sent out two unarmed B-52 bombers to the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone that China defined, apparently disregarding the unilateral declaration by China, with a strong tinge of opposition. But I think that this opposition by the U.S. will undoubtedly not last long, one reason being that the U.S. does not have any more economic power to throw into another military stand-off. Opposition to it is not in the United States’ main interests — and China knows this, which is why it has boldly taken this step in hopes of solving this long-running dispute.

I think that although the U.S. and Japan have the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between them, asking the U.S. to devote excessive resources for the Diaoyu Islands is without a doubt ridiculous. America’s main interest is to maintain the current situation in the East China Sea, so as to achieve its strategic goals in the region.

As for the U.S. government, after the creation of the Air Defense Identification Zone, it recommended that American commercial airliners follow China’s latest aviation regulations, such as reporting their flight plans to China when passing through the aforementioned Air Defense Identification Zone. This also proves that the U.S. is unwilling to escalate the stand-off and has unofficially recognized China’s rights in the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone. The U.S. is a country that puts its interests first after all; if Japan thinks that the U.S. will side with it and oppose China together just because China created the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone, then it may be sorely mistaken in assessing the situation.


近日中國劃設“東海防空識別區”,飛越東海防空識別區的航空器,應當向中國外交部或民用航空局通報飛行計劃,而對不配合識別或者拒不服從指令的航空器,中國將採取防禦性緊急處置措施,此舉無疑顯示這是中國想解決東海爭議的第一步,逼使各國重上談判桌。

隨著中國劃設東海防空識別區後,美國也隨即派出2架無武裝的B-52轟炸機前往中國劃定的東海防空識別區,似乎無視中國的片面宣佈,對抗意味濃厚,可是筆者認為美國此舉無疑不會長久,其一美國已經沒有經濟能力再投入另外一場軍事對抗了,對抗並非美國的主要利益,中國也是看穿了這一點,才大膽的跨出了這一步,以期解決長久以來的糾紛。

筆者認為,雖然美國與日本本身有著日美安保條約的協定,可是要求美國為了釣魚台而投入過多的資源無疑是天方夜譚,美國的主要利益就是保持東海現狀,以達到他在此區域的戰略目的。

而美國政府在防空識別區設立後,也建議美國商用客機遵守中國最新的飛航規定,如飛越相關防空識別區,應提交飛行計劃予中國,此舉也佐證了美國不欲升高對抗,也非正式的承認了中國在東海防空識別區的權利,美國始終是利益先行的國家,而日本若以為美國會因為中國設立東海防空識別區後會站在自己一方對抗中國,恐怕會嚴重誤判形勢。
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