Watching The World: Japan and China

Jan. 5, 2009
Should anyone be concerned about the continuing rivalry between Japan and China over pursuit of the world’s oil and gas? It may be well to remember some history.

Should anyone be concerned about the continuing rivalry between Japan and China over pursuit of the world’s oil and gas? It may be well to remember some history.

It could be worth recalling that Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato asked the US in 1965 to use its nuclear weapons against China in immediate retaliation in case the two Asian nations went to war against each other.

As it turned out, the Japanese request never had to be seriously contemplated by the US. But it shows, nonetheless, just how deeply Japan felt about China at the time. Of course, those feelings still run deep on both sides.

An example of that arose about a week ago when the two Asian rivals each decided to send warships to the Gulf of Aden in an effort to reduce the risk of attacks on oil shipping off the pirate-infested coast of Somalia.

Chinese set sail

Chinese warships set off on Dec. 26, 2008, on a mission to help combat piracy off the coast of Somalia, according to state media, with two destroyers and a supply vessel leaving from a port on the southern Chinese island of Hainan.

It marks the first time the Chinese navy has been deployed outside Asia on a military mission since the formation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, according to military officials quoted in state-run media.

China said the deployment is in response to United Nation’s resolutions calling for tougher international action to tackle rampant piracy off the east African coast.

The Chinese fleet heading for Somalia and the Gulf of Aden will carry 800 crew, including 70 troops from the navy’s special forces, the New China News agency said, quoting mission commander Rear-Adm. Du Jingchen.

“The fleet’s warships will primarily safeguard vessels passing through the waters. The fleet’s helicopters will be responsible for the fleet’s own safety, material delivery as well as rescue tasks,” said Du. “The fleet will protect and escort Chinese ships carrying strategic cargo such as crude oil.”

Japanese to follow

The Chinese will protect only Chinese ships, right? The Japanese are, perhaps, not so sure. In fact, the day after the Chinese dispatched their fleet, the Japanese government began exploring ways to dispatch its Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) ships.

A long-term antipiracy mission by the MSDF would be highly unusual and largely impracticable under current SDF law. To begin with, the law does not allow the MSDF to take action to protect the ships of foreign nations.

In a word, the Japanese will be protecting only Japanese ships.

Still, one wonders if there is room for mischance here. Is there any possibility that the two Asian rivals might tangle? And if that were the case, should the rest of the oil and gas industry be concerned?

That’s merely a matter for theoretical speculation, of course. Still, one wonders.