Prepared for the IIPS Symposium onJapan’s Position as a Maritime Nation
16 – 17 October 2007
TokyoSession 1
Tuesday, 16 October 2007

Globalization and Ocean Security

Wang Shaopu
Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Globalization and Ocean Security
Director of Japan’s Study Center of SASS Pro Wang
Abstract: Globalization makes ocean security more important and complicated;
Globalization provides more sufficient conditions for strengthening international
ocean security; Both of China and Japan should make great efforts to build the East
Sea into a peaceful, friendly and cooperative sea.
一、Globalization makes ocean security more important and complicatedAs we all know, the sea accounts for 71% of the earth’s surface with the richresources, which bears much significance for the survival and livelihood of Mankind.
The protein in the seafood takes up 22% of the total amount consumed by people; The
reserve of the seabed oil and natural gas occupies about 45% of the oil resources inthe world. Moreover, according to the statistics, about three fourths of the cities, 70%of industrial capital and population lie within 200 kilometers of the coastline.
As the economic globalization further develops, whether in the resources
exploration and goods transportation or in the communications and environmental
protection, these greatly increase people’s demand for the sea. The sea becomes more
important as the key carrier of the economic globalization. The protection of ocean
security has invited the world’s attention to this.
However, with the economic globalization developing further, there occurred
some new elements affecting the ocean security.
First, the non-traditional threats increase.
The economic globalization is a double-edged knife. It increases theproductivity with productive factors distributed around the world, which meanwhile
expands the South—North gap. At the same time, as maritime transportation develops
rapidly, some bandits show more greed. Because of the multi-factors’ interaction,some maritime non-traditional threats appear more serious such as pirate、smuggling、
drug trafficing etc. For instance, according to the statistics by the pirate report centerof international maritime bureau, in the Malacca Strait, there occurred 37 recorded
pirate accidents in 2004 alone. If Indonesian sea area over the west of the Malacca
Strait and South China Sea is included, the number of pirate accidents reached 169.
And it is shown that Al-Qaeda and some extremist forces are engaging or attempting
to launch the maritime terror activity.
Secondly, the conflicts of maritime interests increase among various countries,
especially some neighboring countries.
In 1982, ―United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea‖ was passed andcame into force in 1994. It firstly stipulated that the coastal state has the right toestablish the breadth of its territorial sea reaching 12 nautical miles, the adjacent area
reaching 24 nautical miles and the exclusive economic zone reaching 200 nautical
miles, and redefined ―the continental structure.‖ Complying with the relevant
regulations of the Convention, many coastal states speed up the process of sea
legislation, adjust or enact ocean policy to reestablish their ―maritime territory,‖1

implement the effective ocean management to realize the sustainable development.
Therefore, Ocean Policy Research Foundation of Japan states: ―since UNCLOS cameinto force in 1994, tremendous changes have taken place on the ocean order of theworld. Sea isn’t the neutral buffer area any longer but becomes the state boundary
once delimited. As for these structural changes, various countries in the world areattentively taking some measures on the comprehensive ocean management. Japanranks high in the world depending on its tremendous economic strength and advanced
science-tech capability. If Japan still follows the out-of-date regulations and act thesame as before, it may fall behind the process of the world-scale ocean management,
and lose the development opportunity.‖
In China, some law bills have been passed such as the law on the territorial sea
and adjacent areas, the law on the exclusive economic zone and the continentalstructure; In Japan, there have been the Basic Ocean Law and the Set Law on the Safe
Water Area of Marine Structures; In South Korea, there has been the law on theexclusive economic zone, and so on. They regard the protection of ocean interests as
the vital part of national strategy, elevate the status of maritime policy in the national
internal and external policy, which cause the great changes in ocean structure andorder of the world.
In these situations, the conflict of ocean interests grow more stronger among
various countries, especially the neighbouring countries. The contradiction andstruggle caused by Sino-Japan delimitation on the East Sea happened in this context.
二 、 globalizaion provides more convenient conditions for strengthening
international ocean security and cooperation
Globalization makes ocean security more important and complicated, but it also
provides more convenient conditions for strengthening international ocean securityand cooperation. Its basic reason lies in the rapid development of globalization, whichcauses inter-dependence and the demand for regional cooperation among various
countries apparently strong, whether in the depth or in the scale.
We could take the East-Asia as an example. In the post-world war II, especiallysince the Cold War, the conditions which help the regional cooperation in theEast-Asia are further increasing. These conditions might be relegated as three kinds: 1.
more common features of the direction for national development;2.the expansion ofthe scale of regional economy and the increase for the degree of intro-regional
economic inter-dependence.3.more common security interests.
1. more common features of the direction for national development(1) Japan’s democratic reform
Since Meiji Restoration, the causes for seeking the road to foreign expansion forJapan are complicated, one of which is politically feudal autarchy and militarism.
After the end of the World War Two, the democratic reform was implemented in Japan.
Pre-war Meiji constitution was based on all powers controlled by emperor. Thenthough there was the parliament too, the members of the upper house were not electedby the people but appointed by the aristocracy and emperor. The military occupied thecentral position in the political life of Japan. However, post-war constitution stipulates
that the sovereign belongs to people, and the position of emperor is based on national
2will. The members of the Diet are elected by people. The legislation belongs to theDiet. The prime minister and other state councilors in the cabinet are appointed thecivilians, while the military has no former special status longer. Japan’s democratic
reform and post-war peaceful development form an important basis for Japan toestablish broad and equal regional cooperation.
(2) China’s reform and opening-up
Since the Third Plenary of the CPC 11th Central Committee was held in 1978,
China has sought the road to reform and open up to the outside world. The basic
requirements for reform and opening-up policy are as follows: internally China
devotes itself to economically establish socialism market economy system andpolitically pursue socialism democratic politics. China’s socialism democratic politics
comes into being based on relating Marxism democratic theory and Chinese actual
situations, borrowing from the valuable fruit of political civilization of mankind
including Western democracy, and taking in the democratic factors in Chinese
traditional culture and systematic civilization, so this democratic politics has evident
Chinese characteristics; Externally China will be comprehensively integrated intointernational community. while respecting the current international order, China, as
well as the rest of the world, will lead this order to develop along a more fair andrational direction. The objectives for China’s reform and opening-up are (1)China’smodernization;(2)China’s reunification;(3)the world’s peace and prosperity. Chinese
leaders put forward and implement the reform and opening-up policy, which reflects
China has quitted the previous policy of following the domestic revolution under theguidance of the Continual Revolution Theory of the conditions of proletariat autarchy
and the world revolution under the guidance of Three World Teory, and turns its focus
to pursue the lines of placing China’s modernization as the core requirements andcatering to the world tendency of the market economy and democracy. This provides
the important basis for establishing the broad and equal regional cooperation between
China and the East-Asia.
(3) Vietnam’s reform and opening-up
Vietnam chose the similar road of the reform and opening-up policy as China. It
has made obvious progress in socialism market economy and democratic politics.
(4) North-Korea starts to adjust its economic policy. Beside requiring tosafeguard the principle of socialism, it struggles for the maximum profit in theoperation of economy. This adjustment inevitably leads to the influence of expanding
the principle of market economy on national economic system of North-Korea.
2. the expansion of the scale of regional economy.
the expansion of the scale of regional economy. In the post war, Japan takes thelead in the East-Asia economity, and experiences three rises of development. The
sustainable high-speed development makes the economic scale of the East-Aisa areas
gradually expand. In China, Japan, South-Korea, ASEAN, Hongkong and Taiwan ofChina, their total value of GDP reaches about ＄80,000 bilion, which accounts for 30%of the world’s GDP or so. The reserve of foreign exchange has been far beyond Eurozone.

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The degree of economic inter-dependence in the East-Asia area increases, not onlyin the increase of the trade volume but within the region in which a multi-facets
industry distribution system has basically formed: Japan, as a super-economic powerin the East Asia, is not only the supplier of regional capital and high-tech products, but
the important market of energy, raw materials and consuming products; The ―FourTigers‖ in the Asia are the important providers of equipments and parts in this area,
the supplier of capital and the important consumers of energy and raw materials;
China and ASEAN are the key providers of raw materials and labour-intensive
products , the important investment market and high-tech consuming market for Japanand Asian ―Four Tigers.‖(3) Chinese mainland and Taiwan join the APEC and WTO together
3. more common security interests
During the Cold-War period, the contradiction of the two military alliances formedby China-Soviet Union and US-Japan divides the East-Asia area into the two opposite
camp. In this case, it is impossible for the East Assa to build the equal and broad
multilateral cooperation. In the late 1960s, China-Soviet Union alliance broke apart.
In the 1970s, the improvement of Sino-US and Sino-Japan relations incurred theestablishment of diplomatic relations. This led to the existence of not only suchbilateral military alliances as US-Japan relations, but the Sino-US-Japan triangle
relations beyond the bilateral military alliances in the East Asia. The relatively
balanced Sino-US-Japan triangle relations play the important role in stabilizing theEast Asia. This multilateral relations beyond the bilateral military alliances makes
regional cooperation possible in the East Asia.
After the end of the Cold War, the camp confrontation disappeared. In 1989, theBerlin Wall collapsed; In 1991, the Soviet Union disintegrated. The tremendous
changes occurred to the international structure and the market limitation has beenbroken between the soviet union camp and the US-EU-Japan camp. In the 1980s, theopening-up policy was carried out in China, which makes the international market
integrated and the confrontation between the West Camp and the East Camp basicallydisappeared. These changes further increase the possibility of the East-Asia regionalcooperation.
Many more problems require the cooperation of various countries of the Asia ,even the world to deal with the anti-terrorism, the crack-down of the maritime
criminal, and the prevention of the mass destruction weapons, environmentalprotection. After the anniversary of the September 11th accident, US president Bushsaid in the report ―US National Security Strategy‖: ―today the great powers of theworld find they stand together—the common threats of terrorism violence andturbulence unit them.‖ (4) This estimation is correct. Not only the anti-terror problem
but also the above problems mentioned expand their common interests of thosecountries from the Asia and world.
Based on those estimations on the international situations, China recognizes wecan realize our modernization through the road of the peaceful development.
Therefore, we place the establishment of harmonious world and harmonious society
as our development objective. In the security strategy, we hope to realize ―Two4

Beyonds,‖ that is, the model of mutual benefit and double-winnings goes beyond thatof interest conflicts and the model of sustainable development and social harmony
beyond that of blindfold capital expansion.
The similar changes could be seen in the other areas to a certain extent. Theseobviously offer the suitable conditions for speeding up the cooperation of ocean
security internationally.
三 、 China and Japan should make the East sea a peaceful, friendly andcooperative sea.
Since the Abe administration, Sino-Japan high-level leaders reached theconsensus on the strategically mutual benefit relations and its connotation of bothsides, and confirm the Sino-Japan strategically mutual benefit relations have fivecharacters: Firstly, construction. Both sides state clearly that: the strategically mutual
benefit relations derives from ―making the constructive contribution for the peace,stability and development in the Asia and world together.‖ Secondly, continuality.
Both sides agree: in the new phase of Sino-Japan relations, both sides will continue tofollow the principles written down in the Sino-Japan joint statement, Sino-Japan
peaceful and friendly treaty, Sino-Japan joint declaration and stress both sides will
face up to the history and look forward to the future; in the meantime, on the Taiwan
issue, Japan insists on its position stated in Sino-Japan joint statement. Thirdly,comprehensiveness. Both sides agree: ―comprehensively develop the mutual
cooperation in the multi-levels such as the bilateral, regional and international level‖,the fields of cooperation cover economics, politics, security and social art etc.
Fourthly, common interest. Both sides require in the process of cooperation, both
could gain the interest and expand the common interest so as to push the relations to a
new high level. Fifthly, pragmatism. Both decide that they will conduct exact
cooperation for building strategically mutual benefit relations, and clearly stipulates
the specific content, approach and institution of the cooperation in the respect of―regional and international affairs and cooperation.‖ Sino-Japan strategically mutual
benefit relations and its connotation lay the foundation for both sides to realize thestable and smooth development to a new phase.
In this framework, some disputes between China and Japan are being led to therational and cooperative track such as the East sea issue etc.
In October, 2006, Prime Minister Abe paid his first visit to China. Both sides
regarded the policy ―joint exploration‖ as the fundamental principle of solving theEast sea issue. While the former Sino-Japan Joint Statement or Declaration didn’t
directly touch the East Sea, Prime Minister Abe and president Hu both confirmed in
the released press communique, ―in order to make the East Sea a peaceful, friendly
and cooperative sea, both should adhere to properly solve the relevant discrepancy
through the dialogue and negotiation; speed up the process of negotiation on the issueof the East Sea, stick to the general direction of joint exploration, and explore the way
out acceptable by both sides.‖ These break a new path to peacefully resolve the EastSea issue.

5In April 2007, premier Wen Jiabao paid a state visit to Japan. Both sides stressedagain ―they will make the East Sea a peaceful, friendly and cooperative sea,‖
meanwhile they reached a provisional arrangement on the final delimitation, that is,―in the pretext of no damage to both sides’ position on some issues relevant with theocean law, both launch the joint exploration according to the principle of mutual
benefit.‖ This makes the peaceful settlement of the East Sea issue more likely.
In accordance to Sea Power Theory by American strategist Mahan, people givethe definition of maritime power ―a country utilizes the military means to exercise its
capability to control the sea.‖ Actually, since Mahan’s Sea Power Theory came out,
the world has experienced the unexpected changes. Mankind’s common interest isunprecendentedly expanded and militarily the ability to mutually balance each other isalso enhancing among the various countries of the world, especially those great
powers. If any state disregards the above changes and merely pursue its ability tocontrol the sea by the military means, this will cause the disaster for itself, the region
and even the world.
Not long ago, in a conference of the security navigation in Malacca Strait held in
Singapore by International Maritime Organization (IMO) and some countries
concerned, those countries reached a consensus that a cooperative framework toprovide the support in the respect of security will be built by Japan, America, China
and some other countries. This reflects that with the rapid development ofglobalization, the agreement to properly resolve the East Sea issue suit the current tide.
We should relentlessly pursue it. Only like this could the East Sea become a peaceful,friendly and cooperative sea, and benefit people from China, Japan, the East Asia andthe world.

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