China and Japan

Published April 12, 2007 in the International Herald Tribune

Regarding "Trade heals old wounds" by Chong-Pin Lin (Views, April 11): The visit of Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China to Japan this week is said to be an important step in improving Sino-Japanese relations. But can Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe really trust China as a new-found ally?

Though commerce between the two nations has grown significantly in the last decade, Tokyo must keep in mind that China poses a large threat to democracy and human rights in East Asia. China's continuous military incursions into foreign waters, its double-digit increases in military spending, and lack of transparency over its true motives should cause concern for policy makers in Tokyo. China's military buildup against the democratic nation of Taiwan is also a grave threat to stability and democracy in the region.

Abe should also keep in mind that Chinese foreign policy props up dictatorships in the international arena, including the Kim Jong Il regime in North Korea, which is Japan's top security concern.

Improved relations with China should not come at the expense of peace, security and democracy in East Asia. Japan would do well to keep this in mind.