China and Rising Tensions within the Asia-Pacific Region

Comments by Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, (pictured centre) in relation to her countries response to any Chinese aggression towards Taiwan, has soured relations between the two nations. (Image: Wikicommons)

Over the past week, the world has seen rising tensions between China and Japan. The diplomatic crisis is not the first between the two countries, but the most recent events stem from comments made over Taiwan by the Japanese prime Minister. Further to these events, the world has witnessed China’s apparent desire to test international reaction by making in-roads into the domestic politics of other nations, while pushing their military exercises further south than they have before.

The Chinese Government views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of the island.

Recently, Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, sparked controversy when she said that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo. These comments raised tensions between the two nations, with the Chinese ambassador to the U.N., Fu Cong, writing a letter to the U.N. Secretary General, stating that the Japanese leader had committed “a grave violation of international law” in making such remarks, and accused Tokyo of threatening “an armed intervention.”

Fu Cong also stated that, “China will resolutely exercise its right of self-defence under the U.N. Charter and international law”, and will firmly defend its sovereignty.”

Takaichi had previously stated in the Japanese Parliament that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could be seen as “a situation threatening Japan’s survival,” while on 22 November, the Japanese Defence Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, reiterated his nation’s position on Taiwan by saying that Tokyo is on-guard for any potential security issues in the region.

 Yonaguni Island, a Japanese territory, is only 110km (70 miles) from Taiwan.

Alongside the war-of-words, China has placed restrictions on Japan, including the banning of certain trade goods and the grounding of international flights to the respective countries.

This recent diplomatic dispute is just the latest in what appears to be a continuation of rising tension between China and other nations.

In February of 2025, three ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy), also known as the Chinese Navy, moved through the Tasman Sea to be only 300 nautical miles off the Australian Coast. The Chinese ships were in international waters, and were not doing anything illegal, but when the ships conducted a live-fire test of their on-board guns on the morning of 21 February, there was a strong reaction from the Australian Government.

Live-fire exercises are not uncommon, but the Chinese action was deemed irresponsible because they did not notify either the Australian Government, or any branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) prior to the live-firing exercise.

Alarmingly, the likely-hood of a live-fire exercise was first noted by pilots of an Australian commercial airliner, who heard the warning of the intended live-fire over their cockpit radio.

The acknowledged standard notice by the ADF is 12-24 hours. Further salt was rubbed into the newly opened wound, when it was alleged that China had notified the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government about the live-fire test, several weeks prior to it occurring.

It is of note, that in recent years, China has been pouring billions of dollars into PNG infrastructure projects, including the building of: roads, bridges and data centres.

These projects are being initiated, not through any idea of aid or charity, but in the form of loans, with a train of thought alleging that it could be a way for China to exercise control in that country, should the loans not be repaid.

In terms of Pacific nations, the Chinese government has made overtures to at least ten South Pacific governments in relation to security pacts. Fiji, PNG and the Soloman Islands are just three of those nations.

Further to the incident in the Tasman Sea, the Australian Defence Force, and the government itself, came under heavy criticism from local and international media for not detecting the firing of the Chinese weapons, despite the Australian Government claiming earlier that the Chinese ships were under heavy surveillance.

This revelation left the Australian Government and its defence force personnel with bruised reputations, which is perhaps what the Chinese were intending to achieve all along.

In the eyes of the media, and through social media commentary, Australia, as a nation, looked decidedly under-prepared.

A Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft. (Image courtesy of RAAF)

Prior to the Chinese naval training exercise in the Tasman Sea, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon aircraft was conducting surveillance in the South China Sea, when one of two Chinese J-16 jets released flares towards the Poseidon, from a distance of just 30-metres.

No RAAF personnel were injured during the confrontation, but it was widely seen by Australia and other nations as another instance of the Chinese military flexing its muscles in the South Pacific.

There have also been several reported incidents between US and Chinese naval vessels in the South China Sea during 2025.

The South China Sea is one of the busiest, and economically important, shipping lanes in the world, with trillions of dollars in goods passing through those waters every year, which alongside its significant oilfields, makes it and the South Pacific region, a very important strategic location within the world stage.

The South China Sea, and its importance to international relations, will be the focus of a future blog.