Asia threatened by xenophobia in China, Japan and Korea
A report by the International Crisis Group claims tensions in the eastern Asia are on the increase. "If the situation does not calm down, it could lead to serious clashes".
Seoul (Asianews/Agencies) Mutual xenophobia is increasing in China, Japan and Korea and "it may cause serious conflicts" in the future, said Peter Beck, northeast Asia director of the International Crisis Group, an international non-governmental organization which studies areas of conflict around the world.
In a document published on 15 December, the ICG said it was "alarmed" by the situation in the region and called on Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul to "contain phobia of foreigners".
To keep the situation "stable", the organisation urged the three Asian powers to stop "stoking the fires of nationalism" and to "separate diplomacy from history". Another important step would be to "establish institutions that build, rather than undermine, regional trust".
Chinese, Korean and Japanese nationalism makes political ties difficult to achieve; the situation is aggravated by territorial disputes which have dragged on for years and by different interpretations of history.
"In the worst-case scenario, this xenophobia could lead to serious clashes."
The three major powers of the Asian economy, which together make up the world's third largest economic bloc after the United States and the European Union, are one of the least integrated zones in the world. Among recent factors fanning the flames of xenophobia are disputes on territorial sovereignty of eastern Chinese waters and problems of historical interpretation of Japanese imperialism.
The ICG document entitled "Northeast Asia's Undercurrents of Conflict" maintains that conflict between nations in the region is on the rise also because of Chinese economic growth, widespread generational changes in South Korea and the decline of the Japanese economy.
To tackle tensions caused by xenophobia, the ICG recommended that Japan pays compensation to victims of war crimes and builds an alternative to Yasukuni shrine. Beijing was called upon to acknowledge the role played by Japan in its economic development, to use international codes of conduct and to allow its citizens access to foreign media.
"Taking these steps would go a long way toward reducing tensions and allowing those countries to focus on more important issues like security, non-proliferation, energy procurement and environmental protection," Mr Beck said.
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