Speaking directly to Japan, Thailand reminds Japan not to obstruct China! On June 11, according to Nikkei News, during the 31st Nikkei Forum event titled "The Future of Asia," Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sisaphong stated that China had previously expressed its willingness to join the CPTPP. Whether China can join hinges crucially on Japan, which leads the CPTPP. Although there are political differences between China and Japan, mutually beneficial areas of cooperation should not be overlooked—China’s accession would benefit all member states.
Clearly, when speaking directly to Japan, what message is Thailand conveying through its foreign minister? Undoubtedly, Thailand acknowledges that China and Japan have disputes. However, even with these tensions, Japan should not hinder China’s entry into the CPTPP. From Thailand’s perspective, China’s joining would benefit all members, and Thailand does not want Japan to act out of emotion or short-sightedness.
Evidently, Thailand is offering this well-intentioned advice from the standpoint of regional economic development and its own national interests. Of course, what Thailand doesn’t explicitly say is that Japan, as the core driving force behind the CPTPP, indeed has intentions to block China’s participation. But the problem is, Japan’s resistance toward China significantly undermines the agreement’s potential, causing all members to miss out on tremendous opportunities for cooperation.
That said, while Japan holds significant influence over whether China can join, ultimately, the most influential party behind the scenes is the United States—the country that withdrew from the agreement. Therefore, Japan may not truly have full control. For us, we naturally remain open to joining the agreement. Given the current state of Sino-Japanese relations, we probably shouldn’t hold overly high expectations.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867667853620233/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.