Christopher Mouawad (915196889)
Ms. Sarah Prince
POL 003
27 October 2017
Senkaku Islands Dispute: Best Explained by Realist Thought For centuries, interactions between states have revolved around power, be it geopolitical, economic, militaristic, or otherwise. This concept is central to a theory of international relations known as realism. Contrary to liberalism, the other dominant theory of international relations, the tenants of realism support the idea that a state’s interests revolve around national security, which is achieved by strengthening a state’s source of power while preferably weakening other state’s sources of power. Realism also discourages cooperation in favor of rational actions to increase individual power, which promotes …show more content…
An example would be China and Japan regarding the ongoing Senkaku Islands Dispute in the East China Sea. The status quo of this dispute is best explained through realism due to the islands’ importance to each state’s sovereignty, actions both states have taken, and weaknesses in liberalism.
China and Japan view the islands as crucial to protecting their individual sovereignty due to the islands’ economic and military value. According to an article published by the International Strategic and Security Studies Programme, “The Senkaku islands matter because they… are close to important shipping lines, offer rich fishing grounds… and lie near potential oil and gas reserves” (Viswanathan). A state’s ability to establish secure sources of raw materials, from which it can use to create wealth or produce goods useful for its military or commercial sectors, is fundamental to protecting its sovereignty. Reliance on imported food and energy resources erodes a state’s sovereignty because it must adhere to the exporter’s policies. With this understanding, it is no coincidence “the …show more content…
However, those who criticize realism overlook efforts by both states to reduce their reliance on each other. In a CNBC article published in September 2017, “[China] is… gradually increasing its political and economic sway by leading projects [including] the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the ‘One Belt, One Road’ infrastructure program” (Shaffer). Which could be why Kotaro Tamura, former Japanese senator and Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office of Economic and Fiscal Policy from 2002 to 2010, favors the Japanese-led Trans-Pacific Partnership deal saying it “is a unique asset for Japan to attract and to impact Southeast Asian countries through trade for the benefit of Japanese security” (qtd. in Schaffer). Contrary to liberalist views, both states appear to approach trade as a tool to increase their individual power instead of a bridge to facilitate cooperation. As a result, trade has not increased cooperation between China and Japan regarding the dispute. On more than one occasion, stagnant negotiations and unwillingness to adhere to bilateral agreements have produced no consistently enforced agreement regarding the Senkaku Islands under the status quo (“Annual Report To” 10, 41). This behavior
Ms. Sarah Prince
POL 003
27 October 2017
Senkaku Islands Dispute: Best Explained by Realist Thought For centuries, interactions between states have revolved around power, be it geopolitical, economic, militaristic, or otherwise. This concept is central to a theory of international relations known as realism. Contrary to liberalism, the other dominant theory of international relations, the tenants of realism support the idea that a state’s interests revolve around national security, which is achieved by strengthening a state’s source of power while preferably weakening other state’s sources of power. Realism also discourages cooperation in favor of rational actions to increase individual power, which promotes …show more content…
An example would be China and Japan regarding the ongoing Senkaku Islands Dispute in the East China Sea. The status quo of this dispute is best explained through realism due to the islands’ importance to each state’s sovereignty, actions both states have taken, and weaknesses in liberalism.
China and Japan view the islands as crucial to protecting their individual sovereignty due to the islands’ economic and military value. According to an article published by the International Strategic and Security Studies Programme, “The Senkaku islands matter because they… are close to important shipping lines, offer rich fishing grounds… and lie near potential oil and gas reserves” (Viswanathan). A state’s ability to establish secure sources of raw materials, from which it can use to create wealth or produce goods useful for its military or commercial sectors, is fundamental to protecting its sovereignty. Reliance on imported food and energy resources erodes a state’s sovereignty because it must adhere to the exporter’s policies. With this understanding, it is no coincidence “the …show more content…
However, those who criticize realism overlook efforts by both states to reduce their reliance on each other. In a CNBC article published in September 2017, “[China] is… gradually increasing its political and economic sway by leading projects [including] the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the ‘One Belt, One Road’ infrastructure program” (Shaffer). Which could be why Kotaro Tamura, former Japanese senator and Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office of Economic and Fiscal Policy from 2002 to 2010, favors the Japanese-led Trans-Pacific Partnership deal saying it “is a unique asset for Japan to attract and to impact Southeast Asian countries through trade for the benefit of Japanese security” (qtd. in Schaffer). Contrary to liberalist views, both states appear to approach trade as a tool to increase their individual power instead of a bridge to facilitate cooperation. As a result, trade has not increased cooperation between China and Japan regarding the dispute. On more than one occasion, stagnant negotiations and unwillingness to adhere to bilateral agreements have produced no consistently enforced agreement regarding the Senkaku Islands under the status quo (“Annual Report To” 10, 41). This behavior