China-Japan tensions: Who has the smartest approach?
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe's visit to a shrine honoring war criminals has aggravated tensions
between Japan and China, prompting one expert to say Beijing is taking a
'smarter approach' to the strained relations between Asia's two biggest
economies.
Tensions between the world's second and third largest economies have
flared up in recent years following a territorial dispute over the East
China Sea islands, which disrupted trade between the two nations. More
recently, Beijing's introduction of an air defense zone has raised
tensions further.
(Read More: China and Japan trading goods and war threats )
Abe's controversial visit to the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Boxing Day
provoked criticism from China, while the U.S. Embassy said it was
"disappointed" with Japan's leadership.
"The leadership in China seems smarter on this one and more astute on
this and recognizing what is going on more than Abe. Abe seems a little
bit more wound up on this," said David Zweig, director of the center on
China's Transnational Relations at the Hong Kong University of Science
and Technology.
Zweig said the U.S. government's decision to criticize Abe gave China a chance to "calm down and step back."
(Watch This: China-Japan island dispute: Is it worrying?)"So it seems the Chinese are being a bit smarter on this, Abe is out on a limb a little bit here and I think the Chinese see that. They are thinking if the Americans are going to criticize him, let him dangle in the wind, that'd be a good thing," he added.
A resurgence of political tensions could threaten a recovery in trade
relations between the two countries at a time when export numbers are
all the more important for Japan amidst its ambitious plan to drag the
economy out of over a decade of deflation.
Japanese exports to China recovered strongly in the first half of the
year, recording an annual decline of only 0.6 percent, up from a 10.8
percent decline last year. From July to November, exports have surged to
18 percent.
The strong
recovery in exports has given Abenomics a boost, but the prime minister
faces a number of hurdles in 2014, including the planned consumption tax
hike in April and the expected reduction in household spending as
consumer prices tick upwards, which could derail his good work.
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