"Short-Term Victory and Long-Term Loss"

Oh Snap!

The world's largest - and oldest - Collectivist nation/state certainly has reason to LOL their recent semi sorta puissant 1st Island Chain grab at tiny tiny Nippon's expense 

A short-term victory for China?

"....Following a very strong reaction from the Chinese government, including halting tourist exchanges, canceling a planned high-level summit, and possibly withholding the sale of rare earth minerals (the Chinese side disputes this characterization), Japan was not able to take any effective countermeasures and eventually felt compelled to release the fisherman before bringing formal charges against him. 


And at the same incredible instant


"...Japan exercised her own jurisdictional power and in legal terms Japan will be able to claim that its sovereign jurisdiction over the islands is now fait accompli, which is one of most important factors if the International Court of Justice should consider the issue in the future. Japan successfully set an important precedent.

Win now - lose later?

"...Every issue that China faces in international relations is in one way or another intertwined with U.S. interests. The U.S. and China are so large that they affect all parts of the world. But just because this is so, it is only a general rule. Suspecting the U.S. of involving itself in every incident and always being suspicious of the U.S. goes against the facts and logic. 

"...The perception that the U.S. will always be behind an issue and therefore that China must have no choice but to face the U.S. directly is not a solid argument and is not advantageous to China’s interests.

Pic - “China is engaged in a major military buildup that goes far beyond her defensive needs."