白宮學語中南海，美中漸熱日漸涼

【Comment】

A press briefing was held in Washington on January 29th by Ben Rhodes—a speechwriter for Obama, Deputy Assistant to the President, and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications.  He applied unusual wording on Japanese Prime Minister’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine last month.  In fact Rhodes uttered an identical expression used by Beijing and Seoul on: the historical issue, remarking that “all leaders should demonstrate a degree of sensitivity to historical concerns.”  This might reveal that the White House cares more about Beijing than Tokyo.

More than that, Rhodes avoided replying to the journalist’s question on Obama’s schedule to visit Japan in April, while looking forward to the meet between Obama and Xi Jin-ping in March.  This is another demonstration of Obama’s China-first policy.

It looks like the US-Japan relationship has gone very wrong.  Chinese unilateral declaration of ADIZ seemed nothing.  So what has happened in the past few months?

If this conflict over the summit between Washington and Tokyo goes on, Korean President Park will choose China, instead of the US, as the traditional and de facto ally within her term, which will surely irritate Tokyo.    revised on 20140201

現實上，歐巴馬文膽與白宮國家安全事務助理Ben Rhodes 的所謂「歷史問題」只針對日本，而不是「所有領導人」。Ben Rhodes對日本的歷史問題與歐巴馬總統訪日日程說了兩次「基本上」，言下之意是「否定」的。

另外，他也只期待3月的美中高峰會，而閃開日本。

看起來，美日關係出問題了。白宮核心官員的用語和中韓完全一致，顯示：美國的亞洲政策中只有中國而非美日安保。

如此一來，韓國會在朴政權期間選擇中國而非美國。長期下來，日本會怎樣想呢？

美高官間接反對安倍再次參拜靖國神社○共同社（2014.01.30）http://tchina.kyodonews.jp/news/2014/01/68267.html

　　【共同社華盛頓1月29日電】美國白宮國家安全事務副助理本·羅茲29日在華盛頓的記者會上委婉地表示反對日本首相安倍晉三再次參拜靖國神社。他說：“一般而言，所有領導人都應用行動展示出顧及歷史問題的姿態”。

　　羅茲就中韓兩國與日本之間的歷史認識問題強調，各國領導人有必要“再朝著緩和緊張的方向前進一步”。他表示，只有通過和平的、建設性的對話才有可能解決問題，希望日中韓三國在涉及“重要歷史問題”時考慮到他國立場。

　　關於奧巴馬總統的訪日日程，羅茲僅表示“相信會儘早實現”。他還表示正在爭取安排美中首腦利用3月下旬在荷蘭出席核安全峰會之機舉行會談。（完）

Obama aide strikes negative note on another Abe shrine visit

An aide to U.S. President Barack Obama suggested Wednesday that Washington hopes Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will avoid making another visit to a Tokyo shrine regarded by China and South Korea as a symbol of past Japanese militarism.

"I think our general principle on these issues...is that all leaders should demonstrate a degree of sensitivity to historical concerns," Ben Rhodes, deputy U.S. national security adviser, told reporters.

Rhodes made the remark when asked if it is acceptable for Abe to again visit Yasukuni Shrine, which honors convicted World War II criminals along with war dead, following his first visit as premier in December.

As a general principle in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States has counseled Japan, South Korea and China to "show some sensitivity to the very significant historical concerns," Rhodes said in connection with Abe's Yasukuni visit.

The U.S. government has said it was "disappointed" at the visit, saying it exacerbate tensions in Northeast Asia.

China and South Korea, which suffered under Japanese aggression before and during the war, have staunchly opposed Japanese leaders' visit to the shrine.

Abe even turned a deaf ear to a call not to go to Yasukuni by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who feared that it would further sour ties with South Korea and China, according to people familiar with bilateral relations.

The Japanese premier said he went to the shrine to renew his resolve to help create a world free of war and that he had no intention to hurt the feelings of people in China and South Korea.

==Kyodo http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/140130/obama-aide-strikes-negative-note-another-abe-shrine-vi