Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2016 | NO. 22
2016 | No. 22
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Chinas economic
liberalization has largely
stalled due to the
inescapable Catch-22
situation in which
reforms are necessary
to avoid falling into the
middle-income trap.
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Misunderstandings
about Tokyos overtures
to Moscow or Europes
courting of China
must be effectively
communicated and
differences bridged in
order to focus on areas
of trilateral cooperation
from Central and
Southeast Asia to the
Middle East.
The reemergence of
revisionist states in East
Asia and Europe has
sparked a debate about
the similarities and
differences between the
two theaters.
Understanding Revisionism
There is a distinction between status quo and
revisionist states in international relations theory.
Status quo states are generally satisfied with their
position in the international system. They may
have ambitions but they pursue them through the
legitimate processes of the international order and
do not use their military power to seize territory
or subdue other states. When all states are status
quo states, war can still occur but only through
miscalculation and the security dilemma. The
answer to a security dilemma is transparency,
reassurance, and restraint so all understand that
no other state seeks to illegitimately disrupt the
equilibrium.
Revisionist states, on the other hand, use their
military power to change the status quo, usually
by seizing territory, imposing their preferred form
of government on other states, or by unilaterally
and fundamentally rewriting the rules of the
game. Transparency, reassurance, and restraint
are ineffective in dealing with revisionist states.
Revisionism is a recurring feature in world
politics. It often leads to conflict usually of a
limited nature but sometimes to general war
because it introduces points of collision between
the status quo and revisionist powers. One of the
remarkable features of the past quarter century
is the near absence of revisionism. The postCold War international order was predicated on
the assumption that all of the major powers are
essentially status quo powers.
We often think of revisionist powers as countries
bent on global domination, like Nazi Germany
or the Soviet Union. But revisionism rarely
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China is conflicted
about the international
order it would like to
revise some parts of
it but it benefits from
some others.
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A fundamental
divergence in European
and U.S. perspectives
on how to deal with a
rising China is taking
shape, one that is likely
to have consequences
for Japan.
Ibid.
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Introduction
Many countries, including Japan and European
countries, feel deeply ambivalent about the rise
of China. By supporting the reform and opening
of China for many years, Japan and Europe have
contributed to the development of the largest
developing nation, which has now become the
second-largest economy in the world. For Japan,
China is the number one trading partner, and for
Europe, it is second only to the United States.
Especially since the global financial crisis erupted
in the United States in 2008, China has acted as the
locomotive of the world economy. With its huge
foreign currency reserves, China has attracted
the attention of those who seek its investments,
especially through the One Belt, One Road
initiative that intends to connect the East Asian
economic region and the European economic
region. But now that we are beginning to witness
a slowdown in Chinas growth, there are concerns
about its impact on other economies, which by now
are deeply integrated with Chinas.
While Japan and Europe have a common interest
in sustaining and supporting Chinas economic
growth, they are confronted with a serious
situation as China also rises as a military power.
One question facing many people, both inside and
outside China, is how is China going to use its
growing national power? If China overcomes its
economic downturn and grows into a benign giant,
then there is little need for us to discuss its future.
But is that the case? Chinas development and its
external policy point to a number of ways that
Japan and Europe should and can work together
to deal with a growing but ailing China. Europe
needs to bolster Chinas insecure neighbors while
both allies continue to develop economic ties with
China. Furthermore, Europe and Japan should
continue exchanging ideas with China, while also
exchanging China expertise with one another.
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Chinas development
and its external policy
point to a number of
ways that Japan and
Europe should and can
work together to deal
with a growing but ailing
China.
It is widely understood
that Chinas aims
in this initiative are
manifold and include
introducing institutions
with new sets of rules
with a long term view
to establishing a world
order centered on
China.
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2
After 30 years of
economic integration,
the region is both well
prepared for and deeply
in need of the open and
comprehensive legal
framework embodied in
the TPP agreement.
Current Rate of
Import Duties
Duty Elimination/Reduction
Passenger vehicle
2.5%
Bus
2.0%
Truck
25.0%
Cab-chassis
4.0%
Car air-conditioning
1.4%
Immediate elimination
2.0%
Immediate elimination
2.5%
Immediate elimination
For engine above 2000cc, duty will be
eliminated in the 5th year
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Figure 3: Japans Perspective: Japan as a Pivotal Center between TPP and RCEP
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Trade (2012)
Share (%)
GDP (2011)
US$ Billion
GDP (2011)
Share (%)
JCK FTA
6,619
17.9
14,280.9
20.4
RCEP
10,470
28.4
19,929.9
28.5
TPP
9,545
25.9
26,593.4
38.0
TTIP
15,602
42.3
32,686.5
46.8
World
36,890
100.0
69,899.2
100.0
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5
Reiji Yoshida, Tokyo steps up security after Islamic State tells supporters
to attack Japanese missions, The Japan Times, September 11, 2015, http://
www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/09/11/national/islamic-state-urgeselements-muslim-states-attack-japanese-missions/#.VqV6llmZ3Fp.
6
National Defense Program Guidelines for FY 2014 and beyond
(SUMMARY), Provisional Translation, http://www.kantei.go.jp/
foreign/96_abe/documents/2013/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2013/12/17/
NDPG(Summary).pdf; See also H.P. Warimann, Japan to Expand Scope
of Military Missions Overseas, Asian Defense Journal (2015), pp. 4-6
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A new security
orientation, with a
view to using the
Japanese security
apparatus against
global challenges like
piracy and terrorism
might be a way to
soothe neighbors
apprehensions.
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