Is A China-Japan Joint Military Exercise Next?
A relief request from China is new. It is so 21st century of China. However, it is a request to Japan military from Beijing government. The announcement came from the Foreign Ministry. The request was previously submitted to the Japanese military by the Chinese military. The significance is Japanese military is prevented “operating” overseas. China (Beijing or Taipei) has been against Japanese military operations overseas in different degrees. Thus, this request originating China is very unusual.
In fact Chinese military first cleared out the request with Japanese military before the diplomatic request.
The material requested are tents, blankets, and food, which require no expertise of Japanese technology or products uniquely produced by Japan. The same material can be supplied by US (with bases in Japan), Taiwan, or South Korea. Chinese military wants to strengthen its relationship with Japanese military.
If the motive is about strengthening the relationship and the material and the transportation are the primary motives, then the intent to strengthen this relationship is of interests to the US.
To strengthen the relationships between these two military is to build trusts not only among these two militaries but also the governments. Japan’s primary defense need is North Korea and China. So, China is trying to use this opportunity to remove itself as a military threat against Japan, similar to China’s insistence on bringing all sides (six sides) to the nuclear talks with North Korea.
Why?
A peaceful Korea peninsula, whether it is a unified Korea or not, is what South Koreans need to justify the removal of all American bases. Convincing Japan that China will not avenge Japanese invasion and war crimes from the 20th century is the only thing for Japan to remove all American bases.
Japan’s domestic operation only policy for the military is a result of WW2. And as a result, Japan always feels its incompleteness as a sovereign country. Is China passing a signal that this domestic operation only policy is negotiable? Or is this an opportunity provided by China for Japan to earn its merit of a complete sovereign country? What is next? A joint miltary exercise with Japan?
Japan has also been convincing the rest of the world that Japan deserves to be a member of the UN security-council. China has been the main opponent for that exactly because of Japan’s role in WW2.
Hu’s recent visit in Japan stressed the point that China is only asking Japan to recognize history and not to deny history and that China has no interests in retribution. All Chinese leaders said something similar in regard to “no retribution”. However, the difference with Hu is he stressed that Japan need not “deny” history. Is this a move from Hu to melt the ice?
Or is this completely a humanitarian effort?
