Plot can't hurt China-ASEAN ties

Japan has been busy trying to drive a wedge between China and ASEAN member states by using China's newly established Air Defense Identification Zone as a pretext. This is a typical case of the pot calling the kettle black, because Japan established its ADIZ way back in 1969. Moreover, by "nationalizing" China's Diaoyu Islands in September last year, it is also responsible for escalating tensions in the East China Sea.

Japan's hawkish politicians not only deny the terror and suffering they unleashed on their Asian neighbors before and during World War II, but also ignore the Cairo Declaration. Japan is thus making a fool of itself by pretending to be a peace-loving country in order to force ASEAN to oppose China's ADIZ at the Dec 13-15 Japan-ASEAN summit in Tokyo.

During his visit to Japan last week, US Vice-President Joe Biden refused to issue a joint statement with Japan against China's ADIZ despite Japanese zealots' calls to "reinforce alliance to deal with China's forceful methods". This indicates that even though the US backs Japan, it avoids roiling China because of the significance of the new type major-power relationship between Beijing and Washington.

The Japanese media expect the Japan-ASEAN summit to issue a joint communiqu against China's ADIZ. But they are likely to be disappointed because Asia-Pacific is an inclusive region and sound cooperation should be the agenda of the Tokyo summit, which will mark the 40th anniversary of Japan-ASEAN ties. If the Japan-ASEAN summit does issue such a communiqu against China's ADIZ, it would cast a shadow on 10 years' strategic partnership between China and ASEAN.

In fact, except for the Philippines, other ASEAN member states have always viewed skeptically Japan's eagerness to strengthen economic and security ties with the Southeast Asian association. Also, many diplomats and scholars from ASEAN member states have more than once said ASEAN should not be caught in disputes between China and Japan.

No matter what plot it hatches, it will be very difficult for Japan to persuade ASEAN to join hands with it to contain China.

China is ASEAN's largest trading partner, with their trade volume crossing $400 billion last year, compared with $250 billion between Japan and ASEAN. And, as President Xi Jinping told the Indonesian parliament in October, China and ASEAN are trying to increase their trade volume to $1 trillion by 2020.