China-Japan hotline shelved

Japanese media on Sunday accused China of shelving a maritime defense communication mechanism between the defense authorities of the two countries, but analysts said Japan was responsible for the plan's suspension.

The mechanism, which was scheduled to be established by the end of this year to reduce accidental clashes, will be put aside, reported the Yomiuri Shimbun on Sunday, citing anonymous sources.

The sources said the plan was called off because China does not seem willing to continue the talks, probably due to Japan's decision to "nationalize" the Diaoyu Islands.

The envisaged mechanism, reportedly reached in a meeting in June, includes setting up information hotlines between the defense leaders of the two countries and establishing a common radio frequency when the two sides' vessels or aircraft are approaching each other, according to the report.

The project would also have included plans for an annual meeting of the two nation's defense authorities.

Li Jie, a researcher at the Chinese Naval Research Institute, told the Global Times that he believed China shelved the project to exert pressure on Japan.

"It is possible that Japan is feeling perplexed by now as its attempt to win support from France, Britain and Germany over the Diaoyu Islands has come to a dead end," Li said. "Japan brought up the defense hotline project at this moment to see China's reaction."

Xu Guangyu, a senior consultant with the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, said that such hotlines could effectively reduce military clashes, adding that similar mechanisms had already been established between China and the US, South Korea and Russia.

"Japan should take full responsibility for the abortion of the plan, because it is Japan that provoked the Diaoyu Islands dispute," Xu said.

Also on Sunday, Chinese official vessels continued their law enforcement activities around waters near the Diaoyu Islands.

Four marine surveillance ships approached waters near the Diaoyu Islands Saturday after a break due to typhoons, according to the State Oceanic Administration.

Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba's recent visit to France, Britain and Germany concluded on October 20.

While France and Germany called on China and Japan to resolve the dispute in a peaceful way, Britain did not even mention the Diaoyu Islands dispute in a brief statement a day after the talk, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"It is obvious that none of the three countries will support Japan's stance, because Britain and France were two of the primary initiators of the international order after World War II, and Germany is also a firm supporter of the order," said Wang Pin, a researcher on Japanese studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Besides, due to economic concerns, the three countries also do not wish to offend China, which plays an increasingly important role in international trade, said Wang.

In order to avoid escalation in the simmering dispute, Japan and the US plan to cancel the joint drill simulating the retaking of a remote island from foreign forces which was scheduled to be held in Okinawa in November, Jiji Press reported Friday, but the news has not been confirmed by the Japanese government.

A US delegation including Richard L. Armitage, the former deputy secretary of state, and other former national security officials will head for Japan and China Saturday, The New York Times reported.

The visit indicates that the US is trying to bring the escalating dispute back to a level which it could control, since military conflict between China and Japan would also harm its own interests, Wang said.