Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. It seems that this truth from the physical world also applies to the realm of power politics. As China realises its full strategic potential, realists have argued that countervailing coalitions will inevitably emerge. Japan’s decision to sign a new defence declaration with Australia on Monday reflects Tokyo’s growing nervousness at Beijing’s rise as a great power. But the new Asian alignments will not be based on the principle, “either with us or against us”. Most regional actors are likely to play all sides. Given China’s centrality in Asian geopolitics, “hedging” against the rise of China is becoming the most preferred option, without giving up on the many benefits of engaging Beijing. The new security pact, signed during Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s visit to Tokyo, is only the second such agreement Japan has concluded since the end of the Second World War. The Japan-Australia declaration, which calls for continual dialogue between the two defence establishments, military cooperation in peace-keeping and disaster management, is not a formal security alliance of the kind that has existed for decades between the US and Japan as well as Washington and Canberra. Neither Japan nor Australia wants to ruffle feathers in Beijing. Both have insisted that their expanding military cooperation is not directed against China. To be sure, the bilateral Japan-Australia defence agreement would reinforce the US-Japan alliance and the trilateral security dialogue that was begun a few years ago among Washington, Tokyo and Canberra. India’s power play India too will join the new power play in East Asia when it conducts joint naval drills with the US and Japan in mid April, off the island of Guam. The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, who has been eloquent about security cooperation among Asian democracies, has been keen to bring India into the balance of power politics of East Asia. Much like everyone else in Asia, India too insists that the trilateral defence engagement with the US and Japan has nothing do with China. To ensure that there is no misperception in Beijing, India is sending some of the ships taking part in the trilateral manoeuvres to China for bilateral exercises with the People’s Liberation Army Navy. Naval diplomacy India is not the only one stepping up its naval diplomacy. The PLA navy is right now showing off its wares in the Arabian Sea off the Pakistani coast. Travelling nearly 7000 km, two Chinese naval ships arrived recently at the Karachi port to join in a multinational exercise on maritime security. This is the first time China is participating in multi-national naval exercises. Organised at the initiative of Pakistan, these exercises called “Aman 07”, have drawn forces from such a diverse group of countries as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Malaysia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Bangladesh. Iran, too, has sent observers. En route to Karachi, the two Chinese ships carrying nearly 400 personnel stopped over at Colombo for replenishments. Hambantota, again Talking of China’s maritime interest in Sri Lanka, Beijing is taking a big step forward on Monday when its companies sign contracts in Colombo to build the green field Hambantota port, on the southern edges of the island nation. China, which has been eyeing the strategically located Hambantota port for a long time, completed the negotiations when the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapakse, was on an official visit in Beijing earlier this month. Beijing has apparently promised to fund nearly 80 per cent of the $420 million port project at Hambantota. The two Chinese construction companies — China Harbour Engineering Company Limited and Sino Hydro Corporation Limite — are expected to initiate work on the project within three months without waiting for the release of funds from the Chinese government. The first phase of the project is likely to be completed in three years.
