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China should build ties with Russia to counter Japan: newspaper

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please read some history and educate yourself on the history

You should take a look at their 'history books' first. Having a Soviet basic education, you would be totally shocked !

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Any country with a moral spine would say no to business with Russia. Russia and China looking more like a new evil empire everyday

This notion of Evil empire and good vs evil-us vs them is just a pathetic attempt to generalize a complicated political and business situation. No country will ever become allies unless there is not a mutual gain on both political and economic fronts. That goes for every single ally. This world is becoming smaller and more connected now then ever. People no longer trust bias propaganda from an individual source and now have the advantage of making up their own mind as to what is truly in their best interests.

Every country is trying to survive as best they can and provide an advantage towards accomplishing their own agenda. Russia, china , usa(especially), japan...are all doing what they can to stay on top and win the political and economic race. Some countries have more leverage(natural resources, land, military strength) and are bigger players than others.

Russia is using its abundance of energy as a strategic advantage and are able to direct and influence global politcs that way(no one is forcing Russian energy down the consumers throat..it's just simple supply and demand) on the other hand the Usa uses its military strength to bully other nations (irag,syria,Egypt,japan,mexico..even their own native American population) to accomplish their political agenda and to remain on top. Once again its just a different way to influence global politics.

But ask yourself ...is changing regimes by force as the united states has done and continues to do even now in Ukraine the best way to build peace and prosperity between nations? I dont see china overthrowing governments...and to those of you who still blindly follow the notion that Russia "stole" Crimea...please read some history and educate yourself on the history between Crimea and russia as well as reading news from outside your narrow scope view. Then make an intelligent and educated unbias decision as to what may actually be happening.

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He just stole Crimea from Ukraine

When someone steals a land of natives, he grabs a territory, cleaning the soil of native inhabitants. The invader fully exterminates natives or re-locate them to reservations by brutal force. It took place in North America and, say in Diego Garcia island. Crimea was a part of Russia before 1954. After 1954 Crimea became a part of the Ukraine as Autonomous region. So people had and still have a right to make decision whether to stay in the Ukraine or join Russia. They decided to join Russia by making a referendum to express their desire to become a part of Russian Federation. Nobody of natives was forcibly re-located from his land to the reservation after that. Crimean natives, Tatars still live on their land, in their own houses. It is probably, too much complicated and hard to realize for the typical byproduct of North American educational system but, please try to do it.

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Any country with a moral spine would say no to business with Russia.

Russia and China looking more like a new evil empire everyday.

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Nathaw: Putin can give two islands of NT back to Japan.

Do you really think Putin would do that? He just stole Crimea from Ukraine so what makes you think he would RETURN stolen territory?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Birds of a feather flock together.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

gaijinheiwa; Smells like propaganda

That's not propoganda, it's the smell of China and Russia kissing each other's asses

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Smells like propaganda.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan has already agreed to buy Russian natural gas at the price paid by Europe, for Russia to sell gas to China at a lower price would entail Russia giving preferential treatment to China. So if Russia strategically sells gas to China by long term contract, presumably they would fix strategically by contract what they buy from China, possibly manpower and infrastructure projects. The Chinese are interested in Crimea health resort that used to be the most popular tourist destination during the times of the USSR. Chinese investors will come to the Crimea with a plan to build a deep-water port in the Black Sea for redistribution of the cargo coming from the East to Europe. Thus, the "Crimea" port will become a major hub on the route of the new Silk Road, bypassing Russia.

Considering the geographical location of the Crimea that lies on the path of the Eurasian flow, goods coming from the east, and in particular, from the booming China, one can imagine the importance of the autonomous republic in world trade. Thus, Crimea will likely see capital inflows and host a huge hub on cargo redistribution. Perhaps, it will be able to solve the problems inherent in most of the coastal towns and villages of the former Soviet territory, namely, shortage of jobs, poverty, fiscal deficits, and so on. Considering that over over one-fourth of the Crimea population lives below the poverty line, the major port looks like a goldmine.

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China need Russia. Doe Russia need China?

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gaijinheiwaMay. 23, 2014 - 11:12PM JST I think Japan is seriously overestimating its global relevance on this one. Nobody wants to invade Japan

It is because Japan is third largest economy in the world, member of the G8, most advanced and developed democracy in Asia, allied with the United States and aligned with the EU, Australia, that nobody dares "invade" Japan. To do so would start a world war.

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I think Japan is seriously overestimating its global relevance on this one. Nobody wants to invade Japan

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Counter Japan for what ? Japan does not demand China to hand over 5 army officers .. so what is the problem ? China always try to deceive the world by saying this but doing that. China wants a fairer world so does it mean that from now on anyone can come to China's waters and drill for oil like it is doing to Vietnam?

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As long as Ukraine’s dust is not settled, there is no reason to believe, Russians and Chinese will stopping moving closer.

Privately, the US and West (including Japan) express serious concerns about the strategic alliance between Russia and China. The primary reason is that emboldened and dangerous duo could potentially cause grave interruptions on the regional stability by changing the variables of security equation given their combined sheer sizes and inhabited ambitions plus combined resources from fossil fuels to manpower.

For Japan, the new formation of axis of the Russia and China might be the worst scenario that Japan had tried so hard to avoid, yet unsuccessfully. Nevertheless, we should give Abe some credits for his earnest (but t naïve) attempts to build ties with Russia since the beginning of his tenure. For a moment, it appeared Abe and Putin would have gotten somewhere, but Putin used Abe by misleading him with a flowed and false hope. To be fair, Washington had warned Abe for his Russian venture along the way, but Abe is Abe, he does not take Washington’s advices easily (ie Yasukuni Shrine, China relation). The shakeup of new dynamics may leave negative implication for Japan foreign policy especially on the front of territorial disputes with Russia and China.

In short term, the closer tie between Russia and China may complicate the matter in Europe, Asia and other continents, but in the longer view, the US and west may get some advantages by rallying more countries which was delusional to join force together to counter those duo’s perilous expansions.

Will see how things would play out after the election in Ukraine, that shoud give us a better picture for the assessments to the damages.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The problem with China is they don't have their version of AKB48 or KARA.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When a nation illegally annexes another nation's sovereign territory

Yes, that is exactly how the Great Britain considered the Declaration of Independence proclaimed by their Thirteen Colonies in 1776. Does it mean that Thirteen Colonies formed an 'illegal nation' ?

under the guise of a false referendum

Well, when someone from the USA calls a free will of Crimeans to join Russian Federation as 'false referendum' while singing sweet songs about Democracy and Freedom, it doesn't mean that the referendum was really 'false' or 'illegal'. It means that in reality someone from the USA does not care about Democracy and Freedom, showing utterly hypocritical attitude to free will of people in other countries.

If Russia wouldn't have stolen Crimea Japan would have been all smiles.

As Nathaw has just perfectly responded above, I can add that Crimean 'natives', Tatars still live in their homes, in Crimea. Nobody 'bought' their land in exchange of cheap blinking glass and pieces of mirrors, forcing them to roll in reservations some later. In short, having such a wonderful history, you have no moral right to lecture about 'stolen land' to anybody. Second. Crimean affairs have nothing to do with relations between Russians and Japanese. As it has been pointed above, Abe being a servant of Obama, had got a command from his Master and quickly followed anti-Russian sanctions. But business relations between Russian and Japanese companies weren't changed. Russia sells LNG and Japan gets it. Russian tourists are still welcomed on Japanese land. So, if you think that Japanese people have suddenly become hostile to Russian people after recent Crimean case, you are plain wrong.

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JoeBigs May. 23, 2014 - 05:54PM JST

If Russia wouldn't have stolen Crimea Japan would have still been all smiles.

Crimea has been given by Russia as gift to Ukraine back in 1957. Unlike US robbed Texas and California from Mexico, it was other way around. Now the residents of Crimea chose their own destiny. The world has changed now. IN 2014, Scotland will make the referendum for whether they still want to be part of UK or not. Catalonia and Caledonia will make the referendum for choosing their own destiny. If Alaska want to leave from US with referendum, it should be welcomed too.

Are you saying that Germany, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Norway, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain etc etc etc etc are also to blame and are kissing President Obama's boots

That nations are less dependent on Russia and have more natural resources than Japan and Israel. Both Japan and Israel need Russia for defending their national interest unlike others. As you know Israel has been die hard fan and faithful disciple of US of the A. However they are prioritizing their interest now if you read my links. It is nothing wrong with that. Ally does not need to please each other forever.

As the Japanese resident, I hope your loyalty belong to the land of rising Sun.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

NathawMay. 23, 2014 - 12:16PM JST During the Sochi Olympic, Abe and Putin were smiling and enjoying the games. Now there are no more smiles and handshakes.

Olympics usually bring out the spirit of friendship in all nations, but when a nation illegally annexes another nations sovereign territory under the guise of a false referendum that's when friendships get frayed. If Russia wouldn't have stolen Crimea Japan would have still been all smiles.

NathawMay. 23, 2014 - 12:16PM JST It is all the fault of Abe who want to kiss the boots of Obama. Japan has nothing to gain from kissing Obama boots!

Are you saying that Germany, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Norway, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain etc etc etc etc are also to blame and are kissing President Obama's boots or do you hold your contempt only for Japan and Prime Minister Abe?

Your unfounded claims are based on touchy feely hate and not on facts or reality.

StrangerlandMay. 23, 2014 - 03:57PM JST Regardless of how determined you are determined to push the party agenda, communist China does not exist, as China does not follow the tenets of communism.

You have me confused with a member of Communist China's 50-cent army. You see I hold no party-lines I just go with facts, you know the kind of facts that folks evade when I ask them to prove wrong.

So how's Document Number 9 treating you?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Screw Russian Energy!

BUY NORTH AMERICAN ENERGY

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Russia needs a new source of funds and Communist China needs natural gas.

Regardless of how determined you are determined to push the party agenda, communist China does not exist, as China does not follow the tenets of communism.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

During the Cold War, USSR and PRC were young couple before. However it was not last long due to debt settlement. Now time has changed for favoring the reunion.

Russia has more nuke war heads than PRC. PRC has more money than Russia. If nuke and money married, it will be unbeatable union blessed by Son of God. It is questionable that Russia will involve in PRC territory dispute or not, Russia has never been a fan of US. Ukraine crisis was a displeasure of Russia being Cornered by Yakuza or Mafia team members and satellite states of touch talks gangsters of NATO. NATO likes average Joe talks lousy, arrogant and extremely exaggerated. However it lacks the real action and prefer the slogan of hiding out when the warriors have come.

Back in 2008, Hawkish conservative admin of Bush did not respond even their fellow gangster Geogeria has been educated by Russia. Back in 1962 of Cuban crisis, even USSR shot down two U-2 planes at the door step of US. President John F Kennedy still compromised with USSR even It was embarrassing and losing face for his touch talks career. US and USSR showdown was so brief. Since then US has been less touch and more gentle with Russia.

PRC will not match the US superior technology. However it does not stop for them for getting touched when it has been cycled by fellow gangsters of Asia pivots. Before Obama trip to pivot region, PRC has been less confrontational. After Obama reassurance, PRC has been testing the water with oil rig and water cannon. So far the response from US is Yes! You can!

No wonder Asia pivot nations have been losing faith for unproductive and unreliable assurance from Big brother Uncle Sam. At the end, all touch talks have been evaporated as steam. Vietnam and Philippines have no more trust on Asia pivot!

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

China and Russia... two freedom-suppressing, corrupt and war-inciting nations found each other! You can both put them in a sack, hit on it with a bat and you can be sure you will always hit the right one.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

“The complicated political and security challenges still haunting the world demand that the two global heavyweights also work more closely together to safeguard the international order and world stability,” the China Daily newspaper said in an editorial.

The Sino-Russian so-called friendship has always been one born out of necessity rather than sincerity. Communist China and Russia distrust each other's ambitions and remember all too well past wars and skirmishes. When one says friendship + Russia and + Communist China in the same sentence the old proverb ,"the enemy of my enemy is my friend" comes to mind.

This latest trade pact doesn't bold well for peace in Eurasia and the South China Sea. The Sovi.....opps, I mean Russian.

Russia needs a new source of funds and Communist China needs natural gas. Both nations are in the midst of diplomatic and territorial tensions of their own creations. And since Russia and Communist China don't appear willing to use diplomatic channels to repair any of the problems they have created with their neighbors, peace appears to be the last thing on their minds.

Russia has dreams of returning to the glory days of the Soviet empire and the only way they can achieve this is by reclaiming nations that gained freedom after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Communist China wants to rebuild their long dead dynasty's and the tributary state system practiced by those ancient empires. They could careless if the nations they are threatening don't wish to become tributaries because Communist China believes it is their right to take what they think was and is theirs.

The only way these two nations will be able to achieve their goals will be by using force. And that is the same road that brought us World War II. World tensions today are about the same level they were before the Soviet Union and Germany invaded Poland.

But, luckily for the world today there is no Neville Chamberlain and his Appeasement for Peace at any cost.

I believe that Communist China will lead the world into another great war within the next 10 years, as for Russia, we will see which side they will jump on. I suspect if given the chance Russia would love to have a go at Communist China rather than joining them in a fight against the world.

But, hopefully I am wrong and Communist China and Russia steer their nations away from this road. We will see....

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China sees what it wants with Russia recent deal with it while the world sees Moscow just trying to make a buck while putting the boots to Ukraine and being heavily sanctioned.

Clearly China is losing it...

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Beijing and Tokyo—an ally of the United States—have a long-running feud over disputed islands in the East China Sea, and have frequently fallen out over differing interpretations of Japan’s military actions in China in the 1930s and 1940s.

During the Sochi Olympic, Abe and Putin were smiling and enjoying the games. Now there are no more smiles and handshakes. It is all the fault of Abe who want to kiss the boots of Obama. Japan has nothing to gain from kissing Obama boots!

Putin can give two islands of NT back to Japan. Putin can give cheaper deal for LNG and primary resources necessary for Japanese industry. Putin can support the Japan international relation through UN. PRC got the very cheap deal for less than ten dollars of cubic meter ($350 for 1000 cubic meters) of LNG for 30 years supply from Russia. If Japan has got that deal, how life will be wonderful for Japan?

Japan has been sacrificing her national interest for US for so long. Even US closet ally Israel has restrained for condemning Russia unlike Japan. It is time for Japan should be independent for foreign policy as Israel.

http://forward.com/articles/195444/israel-abstains-from-un-resolution-slamming-russia/

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a51509b2-c665-11e3-ba0e-00144feabdc0.html

http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/Israel-pivots-to-China-India-as-US-influence-wanes

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

@itsonlyrocknroll, @sfjp330, @Zenpun: You're gilding the lily about Russia's importance to Japan as a trading partner.

"According to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, in 2013 the Russian-Japanese trade reached a record high of $34.8 billion. Japan actively buys Russian fuel. In particular, Russia accounts for 10% of Japan’s total liquefied natural gas imports." http://en.itar-tass.com/economy/724579

It's peanuts. The GDP of Tokyo alone is $2.9 trillion.

Despite the intense propaganda campaign, the CCP haven't been able to recruit anyone else into their ridiculous anti-Japan crusade, and are now attempting to draft Russia on the back of trade deal (which wasn't too great for Russia). The CCP can't provide any realistic reasons for others to voluntarily join them in hating on Japan - so now they are turning to checkbook diplomacy (economic bribery and extortion) in an attempt to win support for their absurd crusade.

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I've heard that Russia wants to build ties with Japan but I feel as though recent events and the ever lingering issue of the Northern Territories/ Kurils is a bit of a stumbling block with that.

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Russia has a declining population and vast amounts of unsettled, resource-rich land. China has a burgeoning population heavily skewed male (with consequent poor chances for marriage), lacks resources, and has historical claims to much Russian land in the east from their Manchurian heritage.

Go for it, Putin! What could go wrong?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Wow, Japan is a bully now? Crying wolf

4 ( +5 / -1 )

sourpuss MAY. 23, 2014 - 09:41AM JST

The US is now the largest fossil fuel producer in the world.

So what? US has high deposit of LNG and champion for Wheat harvest too. Why not Japan import more from US instead of Russia. Transport and logistic cost is major concern. Russia is near by neighbor of Japan. It is more convenient for buying from Russia.

If you are resident of Japan, Russian LNG is warming your room in the winter. Your noddles are made with Russian wheat.

They have played the gas card too often with Europe, and now the rest of the world has seen through them.

As a consumers, EU has freedom to choose to buy from anywhere else. Russia is not pointing the Guns to them for buying from them. Energy security and reliability is EU insecurity. Russians can sleep well without EU. EU can not sleep well without Russia Gas.

Clearly two double-dealers like Russia and China are going to be at each others throats more the closer and more dependent they become on each other.

Russia and China were back stabbed by Henry Kissinger for US interest of containment of evil empire before. Now it was the history. It will not repeat again.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

'To the Russians what benefits does it have for them to get involved?'

A stronger alliance with China with an even greater level of reciprocity between the two. A way to thank China for the new gas deal. A like-minded partner on the UN security council. Greater leverage on the Ukraine crisis. Greater leverage potentially on the Sakhalin islands and a rebuttal to recent Japan sanctions. Fairly significant potential benefits on many fronts.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@iworld @sfjp330

Russia needs Japanese investment and technology, just as China does, which is why China are actively stealing it.

On the other hand, oil and raw materials are not sole possession of Russia. The US is now the largest fossil fuel producer in the world.

Looked at from another angle, you could say that Russia signed the deal reluctantly because now they know that they can't dick-around their now biggest customer (China). They have played the gas card too often with Europe, and now the rest of the world has seen through them. Lumping themselves in with China is a double-edged sword.

Clearly two double-dealers like Russia and China are going to be at each others throats more the closer and more dependent they become on each other.

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China should work more closely with Russia on security to counter Japan?

Bilateral trade with Japan amounted to $334 billion for 2012, $147bn first half 2103, and don't mention the deficit.

Russia's bilateral trade with the European Union that's a round €326,253 for 2013.

Obama: "it's Life, Abe, but not as we know It".

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Who has the upper hand in Russia-Japan trade? Remember, Japan imports 99 percent of her oil needs. What Japan need is raw materials, oil and natural gas from Russia. Politcally, they look harsh on Russians, but internally, they are soft on the Russians. Facts are Japan needs Russian supplies. What does Russia need from Japan?

As you said, japan needs Russia now and in the future it will need her more. Then when the condition is right and if Japan do something Russia doesn't like then Russia can sanction Japan; as Japan is doing it to Russia now.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

"China should work more closely with Russia on security to counter Japan, a state-run Chinese newspaper said"

China doesn't have to "counter" Japan or anyone else. Just stop trying to steal other countries' territories.

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I believe nothing will come out of this out come since Russia has nothing against Japan. To the Russians what benefits does it have for them to get involved?

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@iWorld

Who has the upper hand in Russia-Japan trade? Remember, Japan imports 99 percent of her oil needs. What Japan need is raw materials, oil and natural gas from Russia. Politcally, they look harsh on Russians, but internally, they are soft on the Russians. Facts are Japan needs Russian supplies. What does Russia need from Japan?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

If Japan can sanction Russia now, then Russia can sanction Japan in the future.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

This oddly reminiscent of the pre-WWI alliances.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Russia is playing the only card left in its deck arriving late to the China game. As the only players in their geo political expansion game they will end up arguing over whats left in the pot as the rest of the world turns its back on incarnations of Lennon and Mow. As before, history is and will repeat with bombs in China and discontent as Russia moves further away from Europe.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Wishful thinking. Doubt Russia will ever be as fixated on Japan as China is.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

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