The Chinese Communist party congress is a decisive moment for the future of China. The country insists its rise is peaceful and I hope that will be the case. However, China’s record suggests otherwise. It has not hesitated to resort to violence or coercion to try to get its way. Many European countries, for instance, still remember how, two years ago, China tried to lobby against the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo, a human-rights activist.
In Asia, China is increasingly aggressive, as shown by its dealings with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei over the disputed Spratly and Paracel islands. Meanwhile, Japan has had to bear the brunt of China’s abrasive attitude over the Senkaku islands.
China’s claim to the Senkaku islands, which its ambassador to the UK explained in the FT this month , is groundless. The Senkaku islands are an inherent part of Japan, as evidenced by both historical facts and international law.