Timing right for trilateral cooperation
The
China-Japan-South Korea trilateral summit will be held Tuesday, December 24 in
Chengdu, capital of Southwest China’s Sichuan Province. Specific topics are set
for every summit, but whether the three countries can constantly move closer is
unclear.
Over the
past decade or so, Northeast Asia has achieved rapid economic growth and trade
among the three countries has continued to expand. But during this period,
acute problems emerged in bilateral ties, hampering trilateral cooperation and
causing the summit to come to a standstill for some time.
This
should be attributed to both internal and external reasons. The impact of the
Korean Peninsula issue on China-Japan-South Korea cooperation has been
discussed more often than not. But the US factor has obviously exerted more
influence. The US not only is a powerful gravity field, but also has levers
that directly affect Northeast Asian affairs. Washington is capable of
interfering in China-Japan-South Korea relations visibly or imperceptibly.
The
majority of international politics scholars hold that the US is unwilling to
see a close relationship between China, Japan and South Korea. The three Northeast
Asian countries regard establishing a free trade zone as a significant goal for
deepening cooperation. But it is generally believed that before a free trade
deal is reached between the US and Japan, Washington is reluctant to witness
Beijing and Tokyo build such a relationship. The US would also be happy if a
free trade agreement between the three Northeast Asian countries is put off.
The
three countries happen to have some enmities that may deeply affect national
sentiments. The US can thus take advantage of such enmities to increase the
three’s entanglements.
The US
has its own national interests and there is no need to make any value
assessments in this regard. But China, Japan and South Korea should be well
aware of the geopolitical environment their trilateral cooperation faces and
thus gain more initiatives.
All the
three countries will prioritize their relations with the US. This is a
realistic choice. However, strengthening China-Japan-South Korea cooperation
will in fact help their ties with the US, as good trilateral cooperation will
serve as a lever for each country to win more respect from the US. The
legitimacy of their cooperation is enough to resist US pressure.
No
essential clash of interests exists between the three Northeastern countries
now, and many of their specific frictions have been amplified at the collective
psychological level. In fact, the three countries have already formed an
interdependent benefit-based relationship. With their cooperation going on
well, Northeast Asia can continue to stand out in global development.
China-Japan-South
Korea cooperation is the key to setting the stage for signing the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). On the basis of RCEP, a higher level
of free trade between the three countries will greatly consolidate the leading
role of their cooperation in Asia’s development.
The
world is undergoing profound changes, and changes in the environment will have
subtle effects on many countries’ identities. Who am I? Who are my neighbors?
What are my interests? Answers to these questions will inevitably produce a new
dimension due to the changing times. Chinese, Japanese and South Korean
societies should never turn numb in facing these major issues.
During
the Cold War era, the bipolar world shaped countries’ interests and
self-awareness. The position of a country at that time seemed decisive. In the
current globalized world, a country’s path has become much more complicated.
Each country needs to be of a more independent mind, bear more responsibilities
for its own destiny, explore more positive factors for its development from the
geographical environment and global relations, and make the best of them.
Source:Global Times
(Illustration by Liu Rui from Global
Times)
Timing right for trilateral cooperation
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