Acknowledgements -- Glossary -- Events at a glance -- Introduction -- Chapter One The historical context -- Two millennia of relations -- The modem period -- The politics of economic interdependence -- The burdens of history -- Saving face -- Chapter Two The Senkaku /Diaoyu dispute -- Histories and controversies -- The 'shelving' agreement -- Competing claims -- Chinese salami slicing -- Chapter Three Perceptions, postures and instability -- Action-reaction dynamics -- The erosion of stability -- Potential stabilisers -- Conclusion -- Tackling the causes -- Treating the symptoms -- The art of the possible -- Tables and maps -- Index.