How China Gets Its Way China suspended East China Sea natural gas talks with Japan

after Japan arrested a Chinese fisherman off the Senkaku/Diaoyutai islands for obstructing the coast guard. The fisherman is alleged to have collided with two Japanese coastal guard ships in the uninhabited disputed maritime area. On September 10, the fisherman was sentenced to 9 days in prison and now awaits to see if he will be prosecuted. Experts believe this dispute could cause irreparable damage to the relationship if Japan prosecutes the fisherman, but why is China reacting so harshly to a seemingly trivial incident? China is pressing harder on territorial claims to gain access to natural gas and oil. Because of Chinas bourgeoning economy, China needs more natural gas. China wants to build a supply line to the Persian Gulf and tap into Senkaku/Diaoyutai islands 100 billion barrels of oil. To build a supply line, China increased its troops in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir to divert the India navys attention away from modernizing and expanding in the Indian Ocean to safeguard vital supply lines running through the Indian Ocean basin to and from the Persian Gulf. China is also been pressuring Japan on its territorial claims to the Senkaku/Diaoyutai islands, but Japan is not allowing China easy access. Under a 2010 agreement, in order for China to obtain access to natural gas and oil, which can meet Chinas increasing energy demands and reduce dependence on energy from the Middle East, China allowed Japanese enterprises to participate in development of Chinas oil and gas fields. This increased Japans stake in Chinese maritime possessions and decreased Chinas share. With these concessions, China has ample motive to try to halt natural gas negotiations by pestering Japan. China and Japan previously disputed over the islands. In 1970, about 2,500 foreign students protested in the U.S. In 1996 and 2003, demonstrators sailed to the island culminating with the Chinese government sending a National Peoples Congress representative. China has even used its economic problems to provoke strikes against Japan decreasing profit for an already struggling Japanese economy. Moreover, China allowed anti-Japanese demonstrations to protest Japans bid for a permanent seat at U.N. Security Council an issue which most citizens care little about. China did not crackdown on rioters until vandalism mounted and two Japanese students were attached. These trivial protests by China can be used to pressure Japan into lessening their demand for concession. If negotiations halted completely, China could continue exploration and development of natural gas and oil without any gains for Japan. Pakistan welcomed troops from China, which were used to distract the Indian navy. Hence, China had no need to create protests against Pakistan, but Japan is putting up a fight to win concessions on the Senkaku/Diaoyutai islands leaving China to use pestering to get what they want. Chinese aircrafts once flew too close to a Japanese vessel in early 2010 stalling negotiations. Since neither China nor Japan wish to engage in military combat, China will again get its stalled negotiations for a time.