ABSTRACT
Chapter 6 is the concluding chapter of this work. As such it provides a review of some of the key points made in the previous chapters. As a conclusion the chapter expresses a pessimistic view on the future stability of the East China Sea. While the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands dispute is not expected to result in open warfare, there is little potential for de-escalation. The chapter highlights that besides conflicting interests, there is also a clash of identities. China’s security posture can be seen as inspired by realist thinking, primarily offensive realism. China’s adoption of this theoretical approach forces a competitive dynamic in the region, even as Japan has traditionally not adopted a similarly realist approach. In the absence of a major change in identities and as the dispute becomes increasingly entrenched, there is little chance that China and Japan will find the necessary will to meaningfully de-escalate tensions, leaving the East China Sea in a precarious state.
