Changes in the Asia-Pacific region

Reproduced from the Russian news agency：http://en.rian.ru/valdai_op/20110215/162609801.html

Changes in the Asia-Pacific region
 
Kuril Islands

© RIA Novosti. Sergey Krivosheev
10:21 15/02/2011

 
      The Russian-Japanese dispute could have been resolved after WWII if Japan had reclaimed the disputed islands under the 1957 treaty. The time was right then. But the Japanese side let that chance slip by. At the moment, there is hardly any chance for these acute territorial issues to be resolved.

      Valdaiclub.com interview with Feng Shaolei, Professor and Dean, School of Advanced International and Area Studies, East China Normal University (ECNU).
What do you make, Mr Shaolei, of the latest developments in Asia and the Pacific Rim? More specifically, of the recent escalation of the Russian-Japanese territorial dispute [over the Kuril Islands] and the newly released U.S. military strategy, which declares Washington’s intention to watch the region more closely now that Russian authorities have revealed their plans to deploy modern armaments on the archipelago to ensure its security.  What sorts of implications could these events have, do you think?

      Certain changes have indeed taken place in the region in recent times, with the main one being the U.S. “comeback in Asia.” In my view, the U.S. military strategy is the key to understanding the current situation in the region, whether we talk about the possibility of building a defense system in the region or about the resolution of the Kuril conflict.

      As for the Russian-Japanese dispute, it’s history now, I think. It could have been resolved after WWII if Japan had reclaimed the disputed islands under the 1957 treaty. The time was right then. But the Japanese side let that chance slip by. Now it’s bringing up the issue again, which may have something to do with the current economic situation in the country. But at the moment, there is hardly any chance for these acute territorial issues to be resolved.

      The construction of a security system in the region is very important, indeed. And the latest developments show that more attention should be attached to it. Unfortunately, there’re quite a few issues remaining to be resolved between Russia and Japan, and Japan and China. But I can see no mature mechanism in the region for doing so right now.