CHINA US Focus - Perspectives shaping the world's most important bilateral relationship

Disputes over territorial sovereignty are among the thorniest of all diplomatic disagreements. While the sovereignty disputes in the South and East China Seas involve seemingly non-negotiable claims, the resources surrounding the islands can nevertheless be shared, nurturing habits of closer regional cooperation in the process.

After meeting with international affairs experts from Asia, Richard Weitz provides an in-depth look at how regional experts in the Asia-Pacific are reacting to the US pivot to Asia.

As the United States continues its rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific, Southeast Asian nations continue to rely upon US influence and military strength to counterbalance China. However, China’s regional power continues to grow and the economic incentives for aligning with China far outweigh those pushing nations toward the US.

ASEAN must stop its members from fanning trouble to ensure ties between China and Southeast Asian countries prosper.

In the South China Sea it is essential to avoid future confrontation, not only for bilateral relations but also for the stability in the region. It is also necessary to move both bilateral and regional conflict management process forward.

Despite Shintaro Ishihara’s clamors for war between Japan and China, Feng Zhaokui writes that the existence of disputes should be the very reason for enhanced people-to-people and even official exchanges to smooth over the Sino-Japanese relationship.