China and the China seas : Chinese maritime policy and geopolitical situation in the maritime spaces of East Asia

ORGANIZERS:

French Centre for Research on Contemporary China
Hong Kong Baptist University, Department of Government and International Studies

LANGUAGE:

English

PROGRAM:

Seminar 1

China-Japan relations and crisis management in the East China Sea

After more than two years of interruption, negotiations of a crisis management mechanism to avoid incidents at sea and air collisions have resumed between the Chinese and Japanese ministries of Defense. There are reasons to be optimistic that an agreement might be within reach in 2015. In this year of 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the outcome of the ongoing negotiations seems to hang more on the politics of history than on fundamental disagreements between the two militaries regarding technical and formal details. The presentation will analyze the risk of military incident in the East China Sea in light of recent developments (the purchase of the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands by the Government of Japan, the establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone by the Chinese government). It will then discuss what a crisis management mechanism might look like and whether it could help build greater strategic stability in China-Japan relations.

SPEAKER:

Dr. Mathieu Duchâtel (Senior Researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and SIPRI's Representative in Beijing since 2011)

Chair & Organisers:
Prof. Jean-Pierre Cabestan (HKBU), Dr.Sébastien Colin (CEFC)

Free Admission
Registration NOT Required

Venue : Hong Kong Baptist University, Administrative and Academic Building 7F, room AAB707