Obama to visit four Asian countries in April

John Kerry's moment in Asia

BEIJING -- Arriving against the backdrop of rising tensions in East Asia, US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday kicked off his fifth Asian trip since taking office a year ago in another move to carry out President Barack Obama's "Pivot to Asia" strategy.

However, he would find himself further disappointed if he simply tries to take a tougher stance on China, as reported by some Western media, and continues to appease his traditional ally Japan, the real trouble-maker in the region.

If Uncle Sam truly wants to play a constructive role, the top US diplomat should bear in mind that a responsible and unbiased America is always welcome in East Asia, but any one-sided appeasement would ruin his efforts and fundamentally erode regional stability, which would in the end jeopardize Washington's own interests.

For one thing, appeasement to Japan would embolden hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take more provocative and aggressive moves, which will surely annoy not only China, but also South Korea -- which, while another US ally and a main pillar of "Pivot to Asia," at the same time has bitter territorial and historic disputes with Japan.

For another, a more provocative and aggressive Japan nurtured by US appeasement would cause turbulence in building a new type of major-power relations between China and the United States as agreed by Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, last year.

As a rising power sticking to peaceful development, China -- an interlinked and essential political and economical partner of the United States -- has been sincere to seek a stable and productive "new model relationship" with the American side.

Washington is expected to show equally sincere respect and care for China's core interests over its territorial and historic disputes with Japan.

It has to be noted that the "harder US line on China" remarks made by Kerry's top aide Danny Russel before his trip were not constructive because it is Japan rather than China that should be blamed for the rising tension in the region.

The Obama administration should take an equal and unbiased stance when dealing with China, Japan and South Korea. It would be better an offshore balancer rather than a direct competitor, for its biased stance would bring political appeasement, which goes against the stability and prosperity of the region.

Kerry's Asian trip offers a rare opportunity to the United States and regional stakeholders for better mutual understanding. Hopefully, it could pave the way for positive cooperation in the region. After all, the Pacific Ocean is big enough for cooperative China-US relations.