n without exacerbating tensions with China. For example, China's defense minister asserted "indisputable sovereignty" over disputed islands in the East China Sea, in an exchange with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who EFTA00718129 was in China earlier this month. Yet there were also signs of cooperation wh

he western Pacific and push America's carrier groups beyond what it calls the "first island chain", sealing off the Yellow Sea, South China Sea and East China Sea inside an arc running from the Aleutians in the north to Borneo in the south. Were Taiwan to attempt formal secession from the mainland, China coul

d commercial interest for both the United States and Japan. Yet, Beijing's continued unlawful gray zone coercion across the South China Sea and the East China Sea threatens the stability of the world's most populous region. Join us for an online discussion on how the new administrations in Japan and the Unite

d commercial interest for both the United States and Japan. Yet, Beijing's continued unlawful gray zone coercion across the South China Sea and the East China Sea threatens the stability of the world's most populous region. Join us for an online discussion on how the new administrations in Japan and the United

and reform that much more difficult. These internal dilemmas may help explain Beijing's assertive, nationalist actions over disputed islets in the East China Sea with Japan and the South China Sea with the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. The maritime disputes may be a popular short-term distraction, but w

o more satisfied. Japan thinks that the US was not firm enough in responding to China's declaration of an "air defence identification zone" in the East China Sea, while the Philippines feels it was left in the lurch when China established effective control of the disputed Scarborough shoal. EFTA_R1_02211215

angerous things became that the back channels, or the “pipes,” as the Japanese describe them, froze, making diplomatic signaling difficult across the East China Sea. Appendix 2 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_020625 167 Okinawa and Senkaku/Diaoyu Debates The clearest case of covert meddling occurs far south of Tokyo in Okin