(CNN) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden arrives in Tokyo on Monday on the first leg of a major week long trip to Asia. Biden lands at a time of significant regional tension following Beijing's announcement last week of a new "air defense identification zone" situated between China and Japan. Since the declaration of the air zone, China has insisted that all aircraft must submit flight plans before entering. The United States has urged calm, and this will be a theme which Biden will emphasize during his visit. The zone includes airspace over islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, which both countries claim as their own. The dispute over these territories is not new, but has become more salient since the Japanese government decided to nationalize them last year.
@highlight
China raised tensions in region by imposing a new air defense zone
@highlight
Andrew Hammond says it will add to a tide of suspicion as China asserts its growing power
@highlight
He says China's soft power is lagging behind it hard power, built on military might
@highlight
Hammond suggests ways China could improve its engagement and image with the international community
Issues such as Beijing's alleged currency manipulation, the large size of the U.S. trade deficit with @placeholder and the large U.S. financial debt held by Beijing, not to mention alleged Chinese cybersecurity attacks on U.S. interests, has taken its toll on U.S. public opinion.