Obama's Asia policy in the balance
US efforts to deepen ties with China and its traditional allies fall on deaf ears as bitter claims and counter claims swirl around the region
China and Japan are not talking anymore, and the United States is hardly being listened to.
Beijing recently announced that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was not welcome there. At the same time, the media in both countries have stoked the fire with speculation about a possible military confrontation that could even suck in the United States, which is bound by a treaty to defend Japan in case of attack.
US officials and experts say conflict between the Asian powers remains unlikely, with both sides keen to preserve economic ties, and neither likely to emerge as a clear winner.
Nevertheless, as naval vessels spar in disputed waters and fighter jets patrol disputed skies, the risk of accidents or miscalculations has risen. Maintaining peace in Asia's seas has become a major US concern in the year ahead, officials say.
Obama had hoped his foreign policy "pivot" towards Asia would shift America's attention away from trouble spots like Afghanistan and Iraq and toward a region brimming with economic opportunities. He has aimed to strengthen longstanding alliances in Asia and bring new resolve to managing a relationship with China.