A recent article in Le Monde focuses on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, revealing the changes in the global geopolitical landscape, while exploring the important roles of Japan and Australia in this reorganization. In Southeast Asia in particular, Japan is seen as a more trustworthy country than the United States and China, a view that has attracted widespread attention.

China's restrictions on citizens traveling abroad

The article first introduces China's increasingly stringent restrictions on citizens traveling abroad. In recent years, more and more Chinese people have found it difficult to travel abroad, especially in state-owned enterprises, the public sector and even in education, where many people have been asked to hand in their passports. This policy has expanded from only targeting party and government cadres to ordinary working class people, and even primary school teachers have not been spared. Although the government has not explained the specific motivations for these restrictions, the frequent mention of the threat of infiltration by external hostile forces to national security is clearly a means to prevent Chinese people from being exposed to external ideas.

The article points out that the Chinese government is worried that Chinese people will be exposed to reformist views or foreign criticism after traveling abroad, which will pose a threat to domestic political stability. In addition, this policy will help curb the post-COVID-19 immigration wave and encourage domestic consumption. However, these measures have caused public dissatisfaction. On some discussion platforms, some teachers openly complained that this restricted the basic freedoms of citizens and questioned the lack of transparency and legal basis of these policies.

Japan and Australia's influence in Southeast Asia is rising

In the global geopolitical landscape, Japan and Australia have gradually become trusted partners of Southeast Asian countries with their more inclusive foreign policies. Guibourg Delamotte, director of the Japanese Studies Department of the French School of Oriental Languages, pointed out in an interview that although the global South countries are wary of the colonial history of Western countries, Japan and Australia have a relatively positive image in Southeast Asia, especially in the face of China's growing regional influence. The two countries appear more stable and reliable.

In the 1970s, Japan sparked protests in Southeast Asia due to its "new militarism", but today's surveys show that Southeast Asian countries trust Japan more than the United States and China. A study in Singapore shows that Japan is considered a more reliable partner than China and the United States. The inclusiveness of Japan's multilateral foreign policy has also brought it closer to the global South countries. At the 2023 G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan invited leaders from many countries, including representatives from India, Indonesia, the Cook Islands and the African Union, demonstrating its willingness to promote international cooperation through diplomacy.

Balancing China's influence: Japan and Australia's strategy

Japan and Australia have adopted a balancing strategy in the face of China's rise. Although both countries want to contain China's military and economic influence, they also attach equal importance to maintaining dialogue and cooperation with China. Such a diplomatic strategy not only allows them to maintain close relations with Southeast Asian countries, but also enables them to exert influence in the global South.

Most Southeast Asian countries remain geopolitically neutral. They rely on China's economic support but are also wary of China's maritime expansion. Japan and Australia stand on the same side as these countries and play a central role in promoting the Indo-Pacific strategy. They emphasize that they are not trying to suppress China, but hope to ensure regional stability through dialogue and cooperation, which has earned them high recognition in regional organizations such as ASEAN.

Delamotte specifically mentioned Japan's expectations for NATO and the EU to participate in Pacific affairs. Although NATO eventually abandoned its plan to set up an office in Japan, which disappointed Japan, Japan still hopes that Western countries can pay more attention to Pacific affairs to jointly deal with China's expansion.

Geopolitical considerations in Southeast Asia

Japan and Australia's inclusive diplomacy enables them to play a greater role in the global South countries, whose historical wariness of the West and concerns about China's hegemonic expansion are intertwined, making Japan and Australia partners they are more willing to rely on.

Southeast Asian countries are more cautious in handling international relations. They hope to balance the pressure from China and the United States through cooperation with Japan, Australia and other countries. Although China is an important driving force for economic development in Southeast Asia, its expansion policy in the South China Sea has caused widespread concern. In contrast, although Japan and Australia have also had colonial experience in history, they have been more cooperative and moderate in their contemporary foreign policies and have won the trust of Southeast Asian countries.

Conclusion: Japan's multilateral diplomacy and the future of Southeast Asia

In the current global geopolitical landscape, Japan and Australia have established a solid partnership among Southeast Asian countries with a more inclusive foreign policy. Faced with China's growing expansion, these countries are increasingly inclined to regard Japan as a reliable ally.

Southeast Asian countries are playing an increasingly important role in the dialogue between the global North and South. Through close cooperation with Japan and Australia, they not only occupy a central position in the Indo-Pacific strategy, but also balance the influence of China and the West through this cooperation model. In the future, Japan and Australia's influence in Southeast Asia will continue to expand and play a key role in maintaining regional peace and stability.