The fact that China is located in the Asia-Pacific Region brings this region to the fore in the international public opinion. As a matter of fact, when the general conjuncture of the region is examined, it is determined that the global economy and security are basically read through this geography. Indeed, China is the second largest economy in the world after the United States of America (USA).[1] Moreover, Japan, the world’s third largest economy, is also located in this region.[2] On the other hand, North Korea, one of the world’s largest nuclear powers,[3] is also an Asia-Pacific country.
n addition to all these, issues such as the South China Sea, the Taiwan Crisis, the AUKUS Pact, ANZUS and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), the Dokdo/Takeshima Islands Problem, the North Korea-based nuclear armament make the region important both in terms of global security and with the USA. It reinforces the interest of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the region.
The aforementioned situation also increases the dose of competition between the USA and China. As a matter of fact, the USA’s desire to apply the containment policy against China, which it achieved success by applying it against the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), both intensifies the struggle and gives this competition a regional character.
In this context, the USA; it establishes defense-based alliance relations with states such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines and New Zealand, and as mentioned above, it increases its influence in the region through collaborations such as AUKUS Pact, ANZUS and QUAD.
On the other hand, in the context of mediation diplomacy, China is trying to gain influence and become a prominent actor in geographies outside Asia-Pacific, especially in the Middle East Region and the Russia-Ukraine War. As a matter of fact, it can be argued that all these initiatives of Beijing are related to its goal of increasing its global influence and power.
In this context, it can be said that a possible crisis, especially over Taiwan, is worrisome in terms of both regional and global security due to the possibility of causing a hot conflict on the Washington-Beijing line. Especially after China came to the fore with its mediation diplomacy strategy and after the hot conflict concerns increased, statements calling the two states for dialogue increased in the global public opinion.
At this point, a request was made by the USA to China for a meeting at the level of defense ministers at the annual security forum to be held in Singapore. However, the Beijing administration rejected this request.[4] It can be said that the situation in question will cause a new tension on the Washington-Beijing line. Because the statement made by the Pentagon included the following statements:[5]
“China has declared that it has rejected the offer made by the United States, which envisages a meeting between the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and the Chinese Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu in May. However, we will continue to believe in open communication so that competition does not turn into conflict.”
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the following statement on the subject:[6]
“The US side should immediately correct its wrong practices, show sincerity and create the necessary atmosphere and conditions for dialogue and communication between the two armies.”
When the aforementioned statements are examined, it can be said that bilateral relations are not pregnant with positive developments and the tension between the parties will continue to increase. As a result, it can be deduced that the global system and the international community will be busy with the tension in the US-China line and the mutual moves of the parties for a long time. For this reason, it can be predicted that the main equations of international security will continue to be read through Asia-Pacific.
[1] “China’s Economy is Now the World’s Second Largest”, British Broadcasting Corporation, https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-12445925, (Date of Accession: 30.05.2023).
[2] “How Japan Become the Third Largest Economy in the World”, Data Drive Investor, https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/how-japan-become-the-third-largest-economy-in-the-world-ba28f6ea0dc7, (Date of Accession: 30.05.2023).
[3] “Is it tim to Accept North Korea is a Nuclear Power”, Cable News Network, https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/28/asia/north-korea-nuclear-threat-solution-analysis-intl-hnk/index.html, (Date of Accession: 30.05.2023).
[4] “China Declines U. S. Request for a Meeting Between Defense Chief”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-rebuffs-us-request-meeting-between-defense-chiefs-wsj-2023-05-29/, (Date of Accession: 30.05.2023).
[5] “China Rejects U. S. Request for Defense Chiefs to Meet”, National Broadcasting Company News, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-rejects-meeting-defense-chiefs-lloyd-austin-li-shangfu-rcna86732, (Date of Accession: 30.05.2023).
[6] “China Declines U. S. Request for a Meeting Between Defense Chiefs”, Voice of America News, https://www.voanews.com/a/china-declines-us-request-for-a-meeting-between-defense-chiefs/7114934.html, (Date of Accession: 30.05.2023).
