China snubbed as Australia, Japan, US discuss security
Sydney Morning Herald: A SECURITY summit between the US, Japan and Australia in Sydney next week is expected to sharpen tensions with China, with deteriorating relations between Beijing and Tokyo high on the agenda.
The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, will meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, and their Japanese counterpart, Taro Aso, on Wednesday for the first ever ministerial-level security talks between the three countries.
China's Secretary-General of the State Council, Hua Jianmin, will be in Sydney at the same time to attend the inaugural meeting of the US-led Asia-Pacific climate change summit.
The Herald understands the talks will focus on diffusing the threat posed to regional security by the continuing tensions between China and Japan. The intention is to send a strong message to Beijing that the US is still engaged in the region.
The ministers are expected to discuss concerns over the Taiwan Strait, as well as possible joint military exercises between the three countries.
Alan Dupont of the Lowy Institute, a body of international policy experts based in Sydney, believes the growing strategic rivalry between China and Japan could emerge as the gravest threat to regional security in the next five to 10 years.
"Politically the relationship is the worst I've seen in 30 years, and … it's deteriorating," he said.
"They're the two leading Asian powers so it's going to have implications for the North Korean nuclear issue and for Taiwan, and it's going to complicate strategic relations throughout the region."
But Dr Dupont also has reservations about the trilateral security dialogue, which has caused concerns with China in the past. He warned that the dialogue had to be managed to avoid upsetting the rapidly growing power.
Dr Dupont believes the raising of the talks from senior officials' level to a political level will cause even greater consternation among the Chinese. "[They] are concerned about it developing into something more formal than just a talkfest, and that it may be … directed against them," he said. "The more it becomes formalised, the more China's concerns are likely to grow."
The trilateral security talks began in 2002, and during a visit to Washington by Mr Downer last year, Dr Rice announced the decision to "intensify" them to the level of foreign minister.
The talks are also expected to canvass Iraq, where Japan has committed its engineers - who are being protected by Australian troops - for another 12 months.
Australia is keen to use the dialogue to encourage Japan to commit more resources to fighting terrorism, believing it has at its disposal expertise and resources that could be used in the struggle against militant extremists in South-East Asia.
Dr Dupont believes that in an environment of escalating animosity between China and Japan, it would be much better for a security dialogue in North-East Asia to have Beijing included in the process, rather than watching from the outside.
The Chinese embassy in Canberra declined to comment on the security talks
The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, will meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, and their Japanese counterpart, Taro Aso, on Wednesday for the first ever ministerial-level security talks between the three countries.
China's Secretary-General of the State Council, Hua Jianmin, will be in Sydney at the same time to attend the inaugural meeting of the US-led Asia-Pacific climate change summit.
The Herald understands the talks will focus on diffusing the threat posed to regional security by the continuing tensions between China and Japan. The intention is to send a strong message to Beijing that the US is still engaged in the region.
The ministers are expected to discuss concerns over the Taiwan Strait, as well as possible joint military exercises between the three countries.
Alan Dupont of the Lowy Institute, a body of international policy experts based in Sydney, believes the growing strategic rivalry between China and Japan could emerge as the gravest threat to regional security in the next five to 10 years.
"Politically the relationship is the worst I've seen in 30 years, and … it's deteriorating," he said.
"They're the two leading Asian powers so it's going to have implications for the North Korean nuclear issue and for Taiwan, and it's going to complicate strategic relations throughout the region."
But Dr Dupont also has reservations about the trilateral security dialogue, which has caused concerns with China in the past. He warned that the dialogue had to be managed to avoid upsetting the rapidly growing power.
Dr Dupont believes the raising of the talks from senior officials' level to a political level will cause even greater consternation among the Chinese. "[They] are concerned about it developing into something more formal than just a talkfest, and that it may be … directed against them," he said. "The more it becomes formalised, the more China's concerns are likely to grow."
The trilateral security talks began in 2002, and during a visit to Washington by Mr Downer last year, Dr Rice announced the decision to "intensify" them to the level of foreign minister.
The talks are also expected to canvass Iraq, where Japan has committed its engineers - who are being protected by Australian troops - for another 12 months.
Australia is keen to use the dialogue to encourage Japan to commit more resources to fighting terrorism, believing it has at its disposal expertise and resources that could be used in the struggle against militant extremists in South-East Asia.
Dr Dupont believes that in an environment of escalating animosity between China and Japan, it would be much better for a security dialogue in North-East Asia to have Beijing included in the process, rather than watching from the outside.
The Chinese embassy in Canberra declined to comment on the security talks
posted by Marko at 1/05/2006 01:27:00 PM
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