The epidemic has changed the world, for example, people have reduced travel, reduced parties, and tried to work and study online. In Europe, some changes have taken place in people’s lifestyles and perceptions.
European countries, especially the Schengen countries, basically have no borders, and people and goods can move freely. However, the epidemic has changed all this. The exchange of people and goods has lost its previous smoothness, and border inspection has become very complicated. Near the country’s borders, large trucks transporting goods were blocked for tens of kilometers. Starting from mid to late March, many European countries have realized that relying on imported food has become unsustainable. As a result, more local food went to the table. A survey conducted in France in May showed that 35% of the respondents prefer to buy local ingredients. According to statistics, during the epidemic, French consumers tripled the number of orders for local agricultural products. In Belgium, local organic food sales increased sharply during the epidemic, with fruits up 16% and vegetables up 20%.
There are many benefits of eating local foods. First, there are fewer links from the field to the table, which protects the food from bacteria and viruses to the greatest extent. Second, the local ingredients are shorter from picking to market, fresher, and nutrient loss Less; third, fruits and vegetables can be “cooked on the tree” and taste better; fourth, the consumption of local agricultural products is a healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle, without long-term and multi-process circulation links, reducing carbon dioxide Of emissions. Jean Luke Faisald, the secretary general of the “All for the Environment” in France, believes that there are three principles for choosing food for your own health and protecting the environment. The first is to choose local food, and the other two principles are to choose seasonal Food, reduce excessive consumption of meat.
Because the new coronavirus prefers low temperature and humid environments, more and more Europeans are now reducing the number of raw vegetables and steaks will be more cooked than before.
The epidemic blockade made many people feel lonely and helpless, realizing that the earth is not only a home for humans, but also a home for animals. During the outbreak, more Europeans went to animal shelters to adopt animals, of which puppies were the most popular. Cats, rabbits, chickens, sheep, donkeys and horses also received more attention than before the outbreak. Some animal shelters in Belgium and France All the animals have been adopted, which is unprecedented. A person in charge of an animal shelter believes that adopting a small animal can make life more enjoyable, giving a small animal a home full of love, and also keeping oneself away from depression, which is a win-win situation.
The epidemic has reduced human activities, and the range of wild animals is much larger. On the roads in the communities where reporters live, you can often see foxes dragging their mouths for food at night, especially on Tuesdays and Sundays. Time to throw garbage. In the Wallonia region of Belgium, the traces of eight wolves have recently been discovered. Before the outbreak, many zoologists believed that wild wolves almost disappeared on the European continent. Today, the return of wild wolves is very exciting for zoologists. Professor Vishina Scott of Liege University believes that wolves are terrible, but there is no danger to humans. In the past 20 years, there have been no cases of wolves attacking humans in Europe. . However, the emergence of wolves still poses a great threat to the local livestock industry. In recent times, sheep on the farm have been attacked by wolves several times. In view of this, the Walloon Region has specially issued the Walloon Region Wild Wolf Conservation Plan, which clearly states that the government will make financial compensation for the losses caused by wolves to the livestock industry. This plan is seen as the key to the harmonious coexistence of locals and wolves.
Throughout history, human beings are constantly strengthening and developing themselves in the process of fighting against nature. The epidemic situation will always pass, and all changes are ultimately to make the world a better place.
In June, the Japanese government decided to revise the National Security Guarantee Strategy formulated in 2013. According to reports, Japan’s National Security Council (NSC) will focus on this in three areas and strive to complete it within the year: new missile defense methods, economic security, and international rules in the post-epidemic era. The new strategy integrates the fields of diplomacy, security, economy and so on, and has the characteristics of national strategy or grand strategy.
Two major policy directions deserve attention
In today’s complex international situation, Japan’s move may bring a series of important influences. Judging from various trends, the two major policy directions revealed in this revision-“normalization” and “transitional transformation” of military security, and “politicization” and “strategization” of economic security are of particular concern.
First of all, in terms of military security, the new strategy intends to achieve a clear culture, policy, and “normalization” of important taboos, and make a positive breakthrough in the national policy of “dedicated defense”. Abe’s government is considering the ability to attack enemy bases on the ground that the deployment plan for the ground-based “Aegis” system has ceased. The idea is to establish a strong conventional deterrent force, use offensive instead of defensive force, and use effective offensive means to achieve effective deterrence and counterattack in the new situation. In fact, the Japanese Self-Defense Force has already possessed considerable strike strength and elite offensive capabilities. Since Abe’s second administration, he has not only vigorously lifted the ban or loosened “software” in the defense field, but has also dared to develop sophisticated hardware. Now it wants to build on this foundation.
Secondly, in terms of economic security, it is necessary to pay attention to the tendency of the new strategy to strategically, politically and secure economic and trade affairs. This is mainly reflected in the following operating ideas: First, divestment and relocation of enterprises. Encourage Japanese companies to return inward and shrink their investment and distribution in China. Second, restrict scientific and technological cooperation, education and knowledge exchange. The Abe Cabinet is currently reviewing and planning to adopt the 2020 version of the “Integrated Innovation Strategy” draft in July-to prevent cutting-edge technology from flowing abroad, and strengthen the policy of reviewing foreign students and foreign researchers. Third, build an economic and security coordination and processing mechanism. As early as 2019, the Japan National Security Agency has set up a new “economic class”, which is responsible for examining important economic affairs from the perspective of national security. At the same time, the phenomenon of “Trumpification” of governing the economy and leading the economy has been reflected in Abe’s cabinet, and it has shown this hand when dealing with Japan-South Korea relations.
Of course, the above is just a possible tendency of the new strategic adjustment, and the result depends on the game of multiple political forces. Whether national security can be guaranteed in this direction seems to have given an answer within Japan. For example, people from all walks of life in the government and opposition expressed concern about the fundamental overriding of the “peace constitution” and “defense defense” restrictions by the Abe government, believing that such a breakthrough will inevitably stimulate an arms race, worsen the regional security situation, and will certainly give Japan a safe environment. Bring great risks and challenges. At the same time, many Japanese studies have shown that violating economic laws, excessively politicizing economic issues, and artificially pushing for “decoupling” and “desinicization” are neither feasible nor disadvantageous.
There are risks involved in the deviation of China policy
Japan promotes strategic adjustments, and neighboring countries do not need to match their seats, but the information released by this adjustment on “China, United States” cannot be ignored. The Abe government’s advance revision of the security strategy itself is considered to be intended to deal with China. The Japanese 2020 version of the “Defense White Paper”, which was announced in May, claimed that the “order building” and “national competition” promoted by China should be given “significant attention” as topics in the security field. At the same time, during this strategic adjustment, Japan
The linkage between the United States and Japan and the United States is even more obvious. The “Japan-US Security Assurance Treaty” ushered in 60 years of entry into force on June 23, “Nikkei News” reported on the same day: Because the focus is on China, the strategic revision will be negotiated with the United States, linked with the Japanese-American security system, and comprehensively discussed Including measures such as economic security to prevent the outflow of advanced technology.
The idea of ”uniting China with the United States” decided that Japan’s strategic adjustment will inevitably affect Sino-Japanese relations, which partly explains the reasons behind the recent subtle changes in the Abe government’s attitude toward China. Before and after the 2020 outbreak, the Abe government was relatively cautious when dealing with Beijing, trying to maintain the momentum of improvement since 2017. But at a time when the epidemic needs cooperation so much, around May, Japan’s China policy has shown signs of “deviation”, and the practice of stimulating relations between the two countries has appeared from time to time.
We are willing to believe that there is a “last resort” component: after all, the new crown epidemic drastically redefines the scope and significance of national security, rethinks globalization and supply chain security and makes corresponding adjustments, not only by Japan; because of “American pressure” “The gap between China and the United States and the deviation of its attitude toward China are not the only ones in Japan. These have not yet slipped out of the bottom line of Sino-Japanese relations. China does not lack measures to tolerate the concerns and “difficulties” of others.
But recent series of events also show that Japan is not without the possibility of deepening its strategy, which is what we should pay attention to and worry about. Japan has secretly promoted security confrontation with China, military deterrence, and economic “decoupling” and “blocking”, and it has revealed mottos and actions in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and islands. It seems that it has misjudged the international change and the post-epidemic situation. The signs of unwise development. Tokyo adjusts the course of its China policy and seems to want to join the US geopolitical competition and resistance against China. If this is a strategic design and a trending change, it may slip out of a reasonable range of Sino-Japanese relations, and the risk factor it contains is too high.
Should be more visionary than anxious
Both the Japanese strategic community and the elite think that Japan’s number one topic for foreign affairs is the “China problem.” In the past few years, it can be said that the Abe government has stepped on the correct pulse and baseline of the development of Sino-Japanese relations, which is also in line with the spirit of “Japan-China coordination” and “eternal neighbor” mentioned by Abe.
The guide for the development of such a good relationship between the two countries is the “10-point consensus” reached between China and Japan in 2019. From the contents, we can see that this is actually the best plan for Japan to seek “military security” and “economic security.” The joint efforts of the two countries to promote the construction of relations in the new era has become a rare international bright spot in the scenario of geopolitical deterioration and the intensification of the game between major powers in recent years. In this process, Abe promoted “strategic autonomy” and balanced diplomacy, in line with the trend of international change, and increased the opportunity for Japan to win the space for independence and the status of a great power.
The painful lesson that emerged from the resumption of Sino-Japanese relations is that Japan should not follow the United States and follow the same pace. Do not let Washington completely control its China policy. Japan needs to recognize global changes and new Asian realities, and learn to balance and manage this unprecedented and complicated situation. Unlike Western countries that have faced such “big heads” for the first time, Japan should have learned the experience of dealing with China in the long history of Sino-Japanese relations and should have more vision, calmness and confidence. But what it currently shows is excessive anxiety, sway, and combativeness, which has to be deeply regrettable and regrettable.
The spring/summer 2020 season is destined to be extraordinary, and Japan’s national strategy and China policy face an important choice, which will certainly affect its own security and Sino-Japanese relations. Abe’s ruling is coming to an end. If the political heritage left is that Japan is more uneasy in terms of security, in the neighborhood relationship, “the wind and the moon are difficult to be the same, the mountains and rivers are different after all”, I am afraid that they have lived up to the beauty of the new era of “harmony” The moral implies that the history has given him the precious longest time in power as prime minister.
