by Cristine Detera

On 15 August 2021, the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies hosted a webinar on “China-Japan Relations: Cooperation and Competition” to discuss the two countries’ diplomatic relations and underlying conflicts over the years.

Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, a member of the PACS Board of Directors, shared his insights in his presentation, “China-Japan Relations: Searching for a New Equilibrium.” While relations between the two countries have been resilient in recent years, he discussed how competition is still on the rise as a result of growing tensions brought on by regional developments and historical strife. Dr. Yoichiro Sato, a professor, and dean at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, on the other hand, explained how Japan views China in terms of its economic and security interests not only in the region but throughout the Asia-Pacific.

Following the lectures, a question-and-answer session elicited comments on the impact of Sino-Japanese relations on the Philippines and the region, US-China-Japan relations, and Philippines-Japan cooperation.

The webinar drew 64 attendees for the live presentation, and a recording of the discussion is posted online for viewing on the  PACS Facebook page. For information about upcoming webinars by PACS, please visit https://www.pacs.ph/ucpoming-events/.