The “Asian Security Conference” (also known as “Shangri-La Dialogue” (SLD)) was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore from June 10th to 12th. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered an opening speech, and the Japanese Defense Minister and the Chinese Defense Minister held the first face-to-face talks. Experts believe that Japan will play a more important role in international security, strengthen its own defense capabilities, and work with its allies to maintain the Indo-Pacific order.
Increased importance of Japan in maintaining international security
The “Asian Security Conference”, which was suspended for two years due to the epidemic, resumed this year and was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore from June 10 to 12. Representatives from more than 40 countries attended the meeting, including defense ministers and senior officials from various countries, as well as think tank experts and business leaders. This is the first physical meeting after the epidemic and the first large-scale security and defense summit after the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Japan is the country with the highest level of attendance. In addition to Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also delivered an opening speech. This is the first time a Japanese prime minister has attended the meeting since then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the meeting in 2014. In his speech, Fumio Kishida echoed the “free and open Indo-Pacific region” strategy proposed by the United States, saying that in the future, more resources will be devoted to the Indo-Pacific region and “pragmatic diplomacy” will be implemented.
Hideshi Tokuchi, former director of defense policy of the Japanese Ministry of Defense and director of the Institute of Peace and Security, said that the international community expects Japan to play a greater role in restoring international order, and it is important to invite Fumio Kishida to serve as the opening speech. reason.
He told VOA: “On the occasion of the Russian-Ukrainian war, there were German Chancellor Scholz, Finnish Prime Minister Marin, European Commission President Elaine, European Council President Michel, U.S. President Biden, Indian Prime Minister Mohammad Di’s visit to Japan reflects Japan’s importance in maintaining the international order. Kishida also wants to use this occasion to stress that in addition to increasing its defense budget and strengthening its own defense capabilities, Japan will strengthen the Japan-US alliance and the relationship between Japan and other countries. Security cooperation, and let the international community pay attention to how Japan will practice in the future.”
An expert on Japan-China relations, Professor Chen Wenjia of the Department of Public Affairs and Management of Kainan University in Taiwan believes that Kishida can be said to have used all his powers to cooperate with the US’s “offshore check and balance strategy” against China.
He told VOA: “In the intensifying momentum of the U.S.-China game, Prime Minister Kishida now faces a more severe external environment when dealing with diplomatic and security issues compared to Prime Minister Abe’s ‘Taiping Diplomacy’ period eight years ago. Under the circumstance that China’s hegemonic threat is even more severe than before, Kishida’s diplomatic situation at the moment is like an abyss and walking on thin ice.
Cai Xixun, director of the Japan Institute of Political Science and Economics at Tamkang University, said in an interview with the Voice of America that Fumio Kishida has been emphasizing the “power of listening”, similar to the former Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro, who was called “political wind”, thus forming a pragmatic diplomatic.
He said: “Kishida used the word ‘reality’ ten times in total, and one of them was ‘total realism’. He said, ‘I am in the new era of pragmatic diplomacy in the name of implementing such thorough realism’. He added ‘straightforward realism’. In view of the reality of the severe security environment in which our country is located, and ‘Our country shows a roadmap that combines reality and ideals’, the word ‘reality’ is emphasized both times. On the other hand, the word ‘new era’ is Common usage, new leaders will generally say I will create a new era.”
Chae Seok-hoon said that it is important to show what role Japan will play in the future at international conferences, and to express it in summit diplomacy.
Commitment to strengthen self-defense
In his speech, Kishida pointed out that in order to protect itself, Japan must improve its deterrence and response capabilities, and pointed out that Russia’s attack on Ukraine is not a fire on the other side. He said that in the East China Sea, where Japan is located, behaviors that violate international law and try to unilaterally change the status quo by strength continue to occur, and Japan is dealing with it with a resolute attitude. He also said that a new plan aimed at maintaining order in the Indo-Pacific ocean will be formulated by next spring at the latest.
Hideoshi Tokuchi, former director of defense policy of the Japanese Ministry of Defense and director of the Institute of Peace and Security, said that Japan needs to strengthen its defense capabilities to deal with the harsh international environment it is in, especially the security challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party in the Indo-Pacific region. cooperation of allies.
He said: “Japan wants to take this opportunity to make the United States and Western allies understand that it is in the overall interest of Japan to contribute to Japan’s defense, and that Japan’s own efforts are the most important. The United States will not help countries that do not try to save themselves, Just look at Afghanistan. It is very clear. Japan will strengthen backup support capabilities such as supply, maintenance, transportation, and medical care, especially in the defense of the Southwest Islands. Japan will also greatly improve its ability to collect information. After all, the current international community There is no peace for Asia alone or peace for Europe, and information capabilities must be improved from a global perspective.”
Professor Chen Wenjia of the Department of Public Affairs and Management of Kainan University in Taiwan said that after China’s implementation of the Coast Guard Law on February 1 last year, it has seriously endangered the maritime lifelines from the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait to the South China Sea. Closer strategic cooperation, facing threats to Japan’s homeland to the north, west, and south.
He said: “Japan is changing its defense focus from the previous emphasis on homeland security to maritime security and the seizure of sea power, and its military strategy has shifted from basic ‘homeland defense’ to ‘both offense and defense’, which refers to China. The new plan mentioned by Kishida Including strategic, tactical, and tactical cooperation to strengthen the maritime security capabilities of Japan, the United States, and Indo-Pacific allies, to enhance deterrence capabilities, and to cooperate with the implementation of the U.S. ‘South Australia East Japan’ in the Indo-Pacific region (Australia in the south, Japan in the east) ) strategic deployment pattern.”
Kishida said that in the next three years, more than 800 people from at least 20 countries will be trained in the field of maritime security.
Cai Xixun, director of the Institute of Japanese Economics and Political Science at Tamkang University, said the new plan is aimed at strengthening Japan’s foreign policy. The role of security.
He said: “For the Indo-Pacific countries, in the next three years, provide maritime security equipment including patrol ships of at least about 2 billion US dollars. Actively promote security cooperation with Australia and other aspiring countries. Japan and Singapore have already begun negotiations. The conclusion of the defense equipment and technology transfer agreement. Japan and ASEAN countries are also promoting the conclusion of the defense equipment and technology transfer agreement, so as to promote multi-layered security cooperation among aspiring countries that share universal values.”
Kishida revealed that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force frigate “Izumo” will go to the Indo-Pacific on June 13 to conduct joint training with relevant countries in Southeast Asia.
Maritime Security Cooperation
Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi held bilateral talks with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe on June 12. Nobuo Kishi said that Japan’s basic position that the situation in Taiwan should be resolved peacefully through consultations between the two sides “has not changed.” “Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are extremely important not only to Japan, but also to the international community,” he pointed out. He warned China not to change the status quo in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
Former Director of Defense Policy of the Japanese Ministry of Defense and Director of the Institute of Peace and Security, Hideoshi Tokuchi believes that in order to counter China’s expansion in the South China Sea and East China Sea that violates international rules, it is absolutely necessary to maintain and restore a combat capability that is sufficient to compete with China. necessary.
He said: “Kishida announced that the plan to maintain the maritime order in the Indo-Pacific will be formulated in the spring of next year, focusing on providing patrol boats, strengthening maritime law enforcement capabilities, and integrating international military cooperation. It is very important, especially to promote cooperation with Southeast Asian countries. Cooperation in capacity building related to maritime security, and actively hold joint exercises. Maintaining and restoring the combat capability of the group requires sustained investment in the medium and long term, and it should also be applied to maintain the security of the Taiwan Strait.”
Cai Xixun, director of the Japan Institute of Political Science and Economics at Tamkang University, said that the Liberal Democratic Party formulates the “basic policy for economic and financial operation and reform” (also known as the “Gutai policy”) every year, which is the most important goal of annual policy, announced on June 10. For the first time in the latest policy, the maintenance of “peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait” was added, which shows that its attention has gradually deepened.
He said: “The ‘Gutai Policy’ puts the Taiwan Strait in the section of ‘diplomacy and security enhancement’, and the first sentence of this section uses ‘international community’ at the beginning. Kishida used it 12 times in his keynote speech.’ The international community’s statement that the Taiwan Strait is located between the East China Sea and the South China Sea is a step forward, and it is said to be “extremely important”, which is more than the wording of this year’s “Bone Tai Policy” and the joint statement of last year’s US-Japan summit. It’s more important.”
Professor Chen Wenjia of the Department of Public Affairs and Management of Kainan University in Taiwan said that the dialogue between the defense ministers of Japan and China at this time represents the typical subtlety of “dialogue in confrontation and contact in containment” in Japan-China relations. The relationship itself is a game and calculation.
He said: “While the U.S.-Japan alliance has launched its containment and confrontation with China, Japan and China are in contact and dialogue at this time. Of course, Japan should try to keep its strategy as vague as possible between the U.S. and China, so that both sides can benefit; Through various dialogues with Japan, in order to create a breakthrough under the containment of the United States, it is possible to obtain geostrategic space. It can be said that in the theory of realism, each country pursues the ‘power maximization’ and the defensive reality of offensive realism. The best portrayal of the ‘safety maximization’ of ideology.”