Abstracts

- DSD L RI D JLF , S F D D D R DL :u uai hong

Since Shin o Abe resumed the position of Prime Minister, Japan has accelerated its pursuit of the status of a “normal power”, leading to a dramatic improvement of strategic independence and a corresponding change in its national image as well as political paradigm. The Abe administration has stepped up efforts to promote Japan’s strategic independence, which is a response to a combination of shoc s brought about by mamor changes in international environment. The most salient measures Japan has ta en for greater strategic independence lie in the policies and maneuvers “outside the alliance” leading the restructuring of free trade rules and order internationally, promoting the conception of “Indo-pacific Strategy” regionally, and advocating “Japan hina oordination” in mamor-country relations. Japan’s moves in pursuing strategic independence have received worldwide attention, but they also face domestic and international constraints posed by such factors as the Japan-8s alliance, geopolitics and security perceptions. onfronting with both the upside and downside of the Japanese policies, it is advisable for hina to actively encourage healthy developments, see gains and avoid negative impact.

RSP L -DSD D D J D , ,PS LFD LR

e Ping

Japan is currently the most active country in promoting “Mega FTAS”, which epitomi es the new developments in its free trade strategy. Japan’s efforts to promote “Mega FTAS” proceeds from multiple considerations, including see ing economic benefit, promoting domestic restructuring, and building a mamor- country image. Japan’s admustments of its free trade strategy led to new changes in the leadership structure in the Asia-pacific integration, accelerated competition among different “Mega FTAS”, and pushed the rivalry between regionalism and multilateralism over trade liberali ation onto a new stage. Japan’s implementation of its new trade strategy is confronted with such constraints as its wea position in agenda- setting and rules- ma ing, challenges of “competitive liberali ation” and uncertainties of the 8S policies.

RS L L J R F LR L P D , ,PSDF R D RD , L LD L Liu uo ui

In recent years, the situation in urope has undergone profound changes, and driven by such factors as populism, political polari ation and population aging, a tendency of protectionism against hina has been rising in urope. The elt and oad Initiative has borne the brunt, raising concerns of urope over issues li e the 8 rules, international order as well as financial and fiscal policies. In addition, the long- term structural contradictions between hina and urope made the elt and oad Initiative a primary target of urope’s protectionism against hina. The measures which urope has adopted, such as stepping up investigations into investment safety, refusing to recogni e hina’s mar et economy status, increasing restrictions on hina’s infrastructure investment promects and launching a new round of “ hina threat”, have created obstacles for hina’s elt and oad initiative in economic, political and people-to-people exchange areas. In the coming period, it would be hard for hina and urope to achieve tangible progress in cooperation in a short term, and hina’s investment in urope would face more stringent regulations, and the bilateral trade facilitation would face increasing challenges.

D FD J NR J RRS D LR R RFLD D RS R RS F D J RSP D SS RDF IR ,PS R P Liu hang

ooperation on social and people-to-people exchanges is one of the three pillars in the Lancang-me ong cooperation, and an important path to building a Lancang-me ong community of shared future. urrently, Lancang- Me ong cooperation on social and people-to-people exchanges covers a wide area, enmoys a soild basis, witnesses deepened institutionali ation, attracts more participating countries and achieves positive progress, but it is also afflicted with such problems as wea nesses in top- down designs and supporting mechanism building, a limited role of social groups and non-governmental organi ations, inadetuate preservation and innovation of mass culture, and a shortage of talents. In addition, it is confronted with such challenges as rising ris s of xenophobia, sustained influence of extra-regional countries on the region, and perception differences in the Lancang-me ong cooperation on social and people-to-people exchanges. In the future, it needs strengthening top-down designs, motivating widespread participation, increasing resources input and bridging perception differences so as to further promote the LancangMe ong cooperation in social and people-to-people exchanges, and bring more welfare to the people along the Lancang-me ong river.