US in the Vanguard against China in Senkaku Islands Conflict
Published in Sohu
(China) on 26 October 2012
by Zuo Dandao (link to original)
The Japanese foreign minister’s visit to Europe to win over three sidelined countries with regard to the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands) issue has failed. But this is not enough to reassure Chinese people. Many people believe that the reason for Japan’s cold reception is China’s economic development, which has made Western countries fear it as an economic giant. I don’t believe so — although I do believe that China’s economic strength is one important factor. The world needs China, but China’s economy is not the only player in the global economy: Without China, the world’s economy could move toward depression, but China’s export-oriented economy needs the world even more than the world needs it. China just has more influence than countries like Syria and Iran.
Thus the Chinese should be more afraid of Western countries declaring economic war on them. We have to face the reality that, after the end of the Cold War and although the USSR has already broken up, a major organization on the opposition side, NATO, still exists today. Their existence has actually become the greatest threat to world peace. If the West launches a global economic war against China, China’s losses would be disastrous. Although countries’ closely connected economies can reduce animosity and fighting, this is not always the case. Before Germany started World War II, its economy was just as closely connected to the economies of its fellow European countries. Thus, because the connection between China and other countries’ economies is so close, the desire to develop one’s economy in order to ensure one’s own national safety is just wishful thinking. Chinese people cannot stand alone because of their strong economy, but should instead embrace the historical truth that “if you forget about war during peacetime, you are in danger of it.”
If the economy cannot guarantee China’s security, does that mean that we should put our hopes in Western politicians’ sense of justice and morality? The answer is no. Take for example the case of the American invasion of Iraq. At the time, Germany was opposed, but did not set itself against the U.S. just because it was against the invasion. On the contrary, during the subsequent American invasion of Afghanistan, the German military became an important partner. It can clearly be seen that not one powerful Western country’s politician would refuse to go to war based on principle. The civilian death toll that they created while waging war was absolutely astounding, but this touched neither their conscience nor their compassion. Some politicians think that war is just when striving to take over another country. Even if it is just out of one politician’s selfishness, they will wage war on another country.
Although the Japanese Foreign Minister’s trip to Europe was met with a cold reception, we cannot overlook Western animosity toward China. Although this animosity has never been obvious, we can perceive it by reading the Western media’s biased reports of China. For instance, in reports of the Sino-Japanese Senkaku Islands issue, Western media seems to use distant, objective wording so as not to appear biased toward Japan. But that is even more frightening and baffling.
In reports of the Sino-Japanese Senkaku Islands dispute, Western media is more interested in exaggerating the two sides’ current armed force movements near the Senkaku Islands than in the historical evidence — which it ignores or deliberately wipes out — that the Senkaku Islands were once Chinese territory. They do not mention one word about the Cairo Declaration or the Potsdam Proclamation, which served as legal basis for constructing the post-WWII international order, even though these joint communiqués are important proof of China’s possession of the Senkaku Islands. It is clear that hoping for Western objectivity is not realistic. Of course, in the West there are also voices going out in support of Chinese possession — they are objective and rational. But they are only a few intellectuals, scholars and professors making statements with slight political undertones.
After being struck by economic crisis, politicians of Western countries are in a desperate situation. They don’t know what to do to combat their domestic economic problems. And as they face economic contradictions, they are spread even thinner, and are weaker than they would like to be. Even so, this did not prevent them from inciting the Arab Spring. After all, creating war and chaos in those countries was much easier than dealing with their own domestic economic issues. Moreover, world powers often use victory in war to instigate narrow-minded rages against nationalities. They deceive the people into focusing on war so that they do not take note of the government’s hidden agenda and criticize it. Western countries are experts at using media and economic wars to fight their adversaries and have made them their most commonly used tactics. They manufacture lies, deliberately distort the truth and obscure right and wrong. Moreover, they use their powerful militaries to protect against economic seize. We must face up to this predatory social reality, void of fairness or righteousness.
The Sino-Japanese Senkaku Island dispute appears to be purely territorial. But in reality, Japan most likely receives silent help from the U.S., whose views just happen to coincide with the rampant right-wing forces in Japan. In the high-profile American return to the Asia-Pacific region, their intention to restrain China has been made obvious. The area around China has been marked with “confusion of war” in the crucial moments during the territorial dispute, as the U.S. utilized its aircraft carriers on several occasions to cruise around Chinese territorial waters in support of China’s opposition in order to deter the Chinese government. The conduct of the U.S. around China not only indicates that it is the leader of the Western countries, but even more so that it is also in the vanguard when it comes to restraining China. Therefore, in making the determination to use power to protect its interests, China must make preparations for further provocation in its confrontation with Japan. And it must make a more grave assessment of the situation, which includes more than just Japan.
Thus the Chinese should be more afraid of Western countries declaring economic war on them. We have to face the reality that, after the end of the Cold War and although the USSR has already broken up, a major organization on the opposition side, NATO, still exists today. Their existence has actually become the greatest threat to world peace. If the West launches a global economic war against China, China’s losses would be disastrous. Although countries’ closely connected economies can reduce animosity and fighting, this is not always the case. Before Germany started World War II, its economy was just as closely connected to the economies of its fellow European countries. Thus, because the connection between China and other countries’ economies is so close, the desire to develop one’s economy in order to ensure one’s own national safety is just wishful thinking. Chinese people cannot stand alone because of their strong economy, but should instead embrace the historical truth that “if you forget about war during peacetime, you are in danger of it.”
If the economy cannot guarantee China’s security, does that mean that we should put our hopes in Western politicians’ sense of justice and morality? The answer is no. Take for example the case of the American invasion of Iraq. At the time, Germany was opposed, but did not set itself against the U.S. just because it was against the invasion. On the contrary, during the subsequent American invasion of Afghanistan, the German military became an important partner. It can clearly be seen that not one powerful Western country’s politician would refuse to go to war based on principle. The civilian death toll that they created while waging war was absolutely astounding, but this touched neither their conscience nor their compassion. Some politicians think that war is just when striving to take over another country. Even if it is just out of one politician’s selfishness, they will wage war on another country.
Although the Japanese Foreign Minister’s trip to Europe was met with a cold reception, we cannot overlook Western animosity toward China. Although this animosity has never been obvious, we can perceive it by reading the Western media’s biased reports of China. For instance, in reports of the Sino-Japanese Senkaku Islands issue, Western media seems to use distant, objective wording so as not to appear biased toward Japan. But that is even more frightening and baffling.
In reports of the Sino-Japanese Senkaku Islands dispute, Western media is more interested in exaggerating the two sides’ current armed force movements near the Senkaku Islands than in the historical evidence — which it ignores or deliberately wipes out — that the Senkaku Islands were once Chinese territory. They do not mention one word about the Cairo Declaration or the Potsdam Proclamation, which served as legal basis for constructing the post-WWII international order, even though these joint communiqués are important proof of China’s possession of the Senkaku Islands. It is clear that hoping for Western objectivity is not realistic. Of course, in the West there are also voices going out in support of Chinese possession — they are objective and rational. But they are only a few intellectuals, scholars and professors making statements with slight political undertones.
After being struck by economic crisis, politicians of Western countries are in a desperate situation. They don’t know what to do to combat their domestic economic problems. And as they face economic contradictions, they are spread even thinner, and are weaker than they would like to be. Even so, this did not prevent them from inciting the Arab Spring. After all, creating war and chaos in those countries was much easier than dealing with their own domestic economic issues. Moreover, world powers often use victory in war to instigate narrow-minded rages against nationalities. They deceive the people into focusing on war so that they do not take note of the government’s hidden agenda and criticize it. Western countries are experts at using media and economic wars to fight their adversaries and have made them their most commonly used tactics. They manufacture lies, deliberately distort the truth and obscure right and wrong. Moreover, they use their powerful militaries to protect against economic seize. We must face up to this predatory social reality, void of fairness or righteousness.
The Sino-Japanese Senkaku Island dispute appears to be purely territorial. But in reality, Japan most likely receives silent help from the U.S., whose views just happen to coincide with the rampant right-wing forces in Japan. In the high-profile American return to the Asia-Pacific region, their intention to restrain China has been made obvious. The area around China has been marked with “confusion of war” in the crucial moments during the territorial dispute, as the U.S. utilized its aircraft carriers on several occasions to cruise around Chinese territorial waters in support of China’s opposition in order to deter the Chinese government. The conduct of the U.S. around China not only indicates that it is the leader of the Western countries, but even more so that it is also in the vanguard when it comes to restraining China. Therefore, in making the determination to use power to protect its interests, China must make preparations for further provocation in its confrontation with Japan. And it must make a more grave assessment of the situation, which includes more than just Japan.