Oct. 03 (China Military Article cited from wsj.com and written by JEREMY PAGE ) -- Behind China's increasingly fractious relations with its neighbors, which most recently erupted in a territorial row with Japan, is a newly assertive Chinese military whose influence over foreign policy is growing in the run-up to a leadership transition.

On Sunday, China and Japan seemed to be edging past their worst dispute in five years, as Japanese leaders called for "mutually beneficial" ties after China thanked Japan's military for evacuating a sick Chinese sailor from a ship in the Pacific on Saturday.

But relations between Asia's two biggest economies remained tense as Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan set off on a hurriedly arranged trip to an Asia-Europe forum in Belgium, where he is expected to seek international support for Japan's position in the territorial dispute.

"It is important to thoroughly explain the stance of our country," Mr. Kan said, speaking a day after Japanese nationalists rallied against China.

In an unusual display of nationalistic fervor, thousands of demonstrators marched through Tokyo's central shopping districts Saturday, harshly criticizing China and the Japanese government's handling of a recent territorial dispute. It is unclear how much the sentiments of the crowd have been embraced by mainstream politicians. No prominent political leaders attended the event.

But the row over Japan's detention of a Chinese fishing vessel near the disputed islands in the East China Sea has reinforced concerns in Tokyo and other capitals that China's decisions are increasingly shaped by the People's Liberation Army, or PLA, analysts say.

The PLA's heavy-handed response to recent U.S. military exercises with South Korea and over U.S. statements on the South China Sea has already provoked a backlash across Asia, as Japan and several Southeast Asian nations look to shore up ties with the U.S.

Sept. 27 (China Military article cited from gcreport.com and written by Frederik Van Lokeren) -- During the recent past it was possible to notice a hightened activity in the Chinese Navy (the PLAN) that could signify we are nearing a point in time at which the PLAN might attempt to venture beyond the First Island Chain (FIC). With current evolutions in East Asia, mostly concerning North Korea, but also with the international struggle for fleet dominance still going strong, this is a very important indicator that could mark a heightened importance of China’s military power in the international community.

As a response to announced United States and South Korean naval exercises within the First Island Chain, the PLAN has been operating much further into the island chain than usual. Although China possesses the necessary strength and equipment to deploy forces outside of this chain, into the Pacific region that is now the exclusive area of operations of the United States Navy, this is likely not the actual goal of the Chinese naval forces. Chinese naval interests are located in the South Chinese Sea, within the First Island Chain, and the Indian Ocean, where its supply routes are located. The PLAN will be mostly interested in deterring the US Navy from operating within the First Island Chain, allowing the PLAN free play to aggressively take control of the area surrounding the Spratly Isles.

As a reaction to the sinking of the South Korean frigate Cheonan in march, the United States and South Korea declared they would both be undertaking joint fleet actions along the west coast of the peninsula. The appearance of a powerful American and South Korean task force, headed by an American aircraft carrier, in the presence of the Chinese coast was reason enough for China to protest these fleet exercises. Since the taiwan crisis of during which the United States sent aircraft carriers to taiwan to support it, China realizes it does not have the necessary navy to counter the United States. The possibility of the US Navy to operate anywhere in the world, especially in waters that China considers part of its own sphere of influence, has long been a disturbance to China. Obviously China was not thrilled about the idea of a US carrier operating this close to its coastline. The reaction of the PLAN was to send a message to the world to clarify that the PLAN is boss in its own waters, and they will not accept other navies in these waters. The message came in the shape of a six-day military live fire exercise in the East Chinese Sea. In July the PLAN followed up with a second live fire fleet exercise, only this time in the South Chinese Sea.