Japan Jittery Over Closer Ties Between Australia And China
The Age
Wednesday February 6, 2008
JAPAN is becoming increasingly concerned about the closeness of Australia's relationship with China - a concern heightened by the election of Mandarin-speaking Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the strength of anti-Japanese feeling over whaling.
In strategic terms, Japan is one of Australia's most important allies, after the United States and the UK, but Tokyo is worried that the alliance will take on less importance if Canberra builds a closer relationship with an increasingly powerful China.To add to Tokyo's concerns, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith confirmed during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to Canberra yesterday that Australia would not take part in any more four-way security meetings with Japan, the US and India.When the first such meeting of officials took place in Manila last year The Age revealed that China sent the nations involved, including Australia, a diplomatic note asking what was going on.Chinese officials were concerned that this was part of a process of creating a four-way security alliance of democracies intent on encircling China. The Howard government refused to comment on the note but Mr Smith confirmed yesterday that it was received and that China's concerns were noted.He revealed that during his recent visit to China and Japan he informed both countries that Australia would not be attending any more of the four-way security meetings."One of the things that caused China concern last year was a meeting of that strategic dialogue - Japan, Australia and the US, plus India - which China expressed some concern with," Mr Smith said."I indicated when I was in Japan that Australia would not be proposing to have a dialogue of that nature. "We have a good relationship with India but we need to take that relationship as well to a higher level but we're not proposing to have a dialogue along the lines as occurred last year."Mr Yang said China understood Australia's close relationship with Japan."We know that Japan is a very good trade partner and dialogue partner of Australia, so we wish that you will further improve your relationship," Mr Yang said.The Age has been told that the Japanese Government is dismayed by the strength of public feeling in Australia about whaling, particularly as it coincides with the increasing Australian closeness to China.Last June China pushed Australia as an ally against what it saw as a regional move to contain it militarily, when Beijing's new ambassador to Canberra, Zhang Junsai, said the planned visit by President Hu Jintao had "paramount importance".Mr Zhang said his country appreciated that Australia opposed the idea of containing China.
© 2008 The Age