The rapid decline in understanding between China and the U.S. has sparked concerns over the peaceful transition from one dominant power to the other.

China is rapidly emerging as a major exporter of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technology and is developing command, control, communications, and intelligence networks in order to employ these systems in a broader offensive capacity. The future weaponization of these systems and their subsequent employment in disputed areas such as the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands carries significant implications.

The US should show the same respect for China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as China has always shown respect for US sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is the basic condition for the smooth and healthy development of the Sino-US relations.

Zhou Bo posits that an essential component to improving frosty Japan-China relations is an equal commitment to develop shared maritime procedures, such as the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES). But first, the two sides need to agree upon a common Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Japan and the US are revising defense guidelines for the first time since 1997, and though not explicit, China’s sovereignty claims are the cause. Yet both Japan and China are making slight efforts to defuse escalation and reemphasize communication.

Two years after the zenith of tension on Diaoyu Islands, the APEC conference in Beijing presents an opportunity for China-Japan bilateral relations to move forward if a common understanding of history and sovereignty is reached.

Does Tokyo’s military buildup have something to do with the recent thaw in relations between China and Japan? Franz-Stefan Gady explores the recent tensions between the two nations and analyzes the changes being made to Japanese defense forces since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has taken power.

Bilateral relations between China and Japan have grown increasingly dangerous as tensions rise over the disputed Diaoyu Islands and the Yasukuni Shrine. The two countries must restore trust and consider the long-term political, economic and environmental consequences of their actions.

Joseph Nye, a professor at Harvard University, remarked on Sino-US relations during an interview with Japan’s Kyodo News. According to Yu Sui, Professor Nye’s stance on the United State’s position on the Diaoyu Islands and China’s current diplomatic policies sparked controversy as Professor Nye’s viewpoint is viewed as ethnocentric and ignorant of China’s history.

President Barack Obama’s recent trip to meet with Asian allies was an attempt to reassure allies that they still have US support. In particular, President Obama’s rhetoric regarding the Diaoyu Islands has been seen as inflammatory for the region, however, his statements were simply lip service to Japan in exchange for economic concessions.