Chinese analysts believe it has always been the policy of the
United States and Japan to work together to maintain primacy in
regional security.
As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President George W
Bush reaffirm their strong alliance during their summit meeting,
analysts said the leaders of the two major powers will agree to
continue to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program.
"For the US-Japanese alliance, Pyongyang's nuclear issue is
something regional and one-off, while issues concerning China are
long-lasting and of strategic importance," said Shen Dingli,
director of the Centre for American Studies with the Shanghai-based
Fudan University.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a news conference
on Thursday that Beijing hopes the Bush-Abe summit will come to
correct conclusions if China issues are on the agenda.
Shen said though the goal of the Washington-Tokyo alliance is
not to enlist the two in any anti-Chinese coalition, it is still
worried about a growing China sharing their exclusive impact in the
Northeast Asian region.
"Japan will remain a cornerstone of US policy toward Asia," he
said.
While it has been common for Japanese prime ministers to visit
the United States soon after taking office, Abe broke with
tradition and went first to China and the Republic of Korea in
October.
"This is Abe's strategy," Shen said, adding that the delay in
the US trip will not change Japan's foreign policy toward its most
important bilateral relationship partner.
Abe is making efforts to mend Japan's chilled ties with Asian
countries as he realizes that modern "security", which has far more
connotations than its traditional concept, also covers "economic
security", Shen said.
Japanese government statistics show that the country's trade
with China excluding Hong Kong, last year surpassed its trade with
the United States for the first time. Shen said Abe has to consider
the economic interests of his people when dealing with neighboring
countries.
A report by Richard L Armitage and Joseph S Nye for the US-based
Center for Strategic and International Studies, also emphasizes the
US-Japan alliance while recognizing China's growing prominence.
(China Daily April 28, 2007)
