Can Sino-Japanese ties usher in leap forward era?

January 03, 2008
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda ended his historic, four-day China trip on the eve of the new year that was crowned with a rip-roaring success. Wherever he went during his visit, either in the national capital Beijing, or in the north China industrial city of Tianjin and Qufu in eastern Shandong province, he was accorded a hearty welcome from all walks of life in Chinese society.At the end of all-round, in-depth bilateral talks by leaders of both nations, China and Japan reached a series of cooperation agreements in such fields as climate change, environmental protection, energy research and youth exchange. These accords map out a new blueprint for Sino-Japanese friendly contacts and cooperation.Both sides formally announced President Hu Jintao's visit to Japan in late March, when cherry blossom is in full bloom. So this upcoming Japan visit of Hu's is sure to be a "spring-warming trip" that will warm up bilateral ties further still.Prime Minister Fukuda's excellent speech delivered at prestigious Beijing University, which was aired live on nationwide TV networks last Friday or on Nov. 30, as if a "whirlwind' risen in the Chinese capital, would blow off some negative impressions Japan has left on Chinese youths in recent years. Blessing (or good fortune) has arrived, said Yasuo Fukuda naturally and at ease, betraying his sense of humor, openness and a good faith.The "creative partnership (with China)" forged on the basis of substantiating the "strategic and mutually beneficial ties, he proposed, displays the creativeness, vigor and vitality in itself. Prime Minister Fukuda traveled to the birthplace of Confucius (551-479 B.C.), a top ancient philosopher, education and founder of Confucianism. as he stressed the common interests and shared values of both nations; people here cannot but feel that Prime Minister Fukuda has really come to seek the common ground (or consesus) and amity since he has worked wholeheartedly to "break new trails while recalling and restudying the past."In his talks with Premier Wan Jiabao, the Japanese leader for the first time explicitly stated four "NOs" on the Taiwan issue in a bid to enhance the mutual trust of the two nations. Prime Minister Fukuda noted that the Japanese side will give no support to the claim of "one China, one Taiwan," "Taiwan Independence," or Taiwan authorities' attempt to join the U.N." and Taiwan's referendum for the UN bid. Although the wording "no support" is somewhat weaker than "in opposition to", it, after all, gives expression to the "NO" attitude with respect to "Taiwan Independence" and Taiwan authorities" attempt to join the UN."Prime Minister Fukuda said during his trip of "ringing in the spring" that he came to China with a wish to turn 2008 into the first year of the leap forward for bilateral ties. This indicates the common aspiration of people of insight in Japan: People should neither be contented with the status quo of bilateral ties, nor let them retrogress, but to take 2008 as a pivot to take giant steps forward.This is because, on the one hand, the political relations between the two nations were cold or liukewarm in recent years and so Japan's national interest was impaired to a grave extent and, on the other hand, the relations of mutual dependence is penetrating into bilateral ties and the year 2008 was cited as "a very rare opportunity" for the growth of such ties, as it marks the 30th anniversary of a Sino-Japanese friendship and peace treaty as well as the 35th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan ties. Perhaps, this is precisely where the essence or the true meaning of the current surging tide of the times lies, which Prime Minister Fukuda had underlined time and again during his visit.Nevertheless, two points have to be mad crystal-clear on Sino-Japanese ties: First, the existing Sino-Japanese ties are in a state of being tepid politically and not brisk economically. To date, Sino-Japanese trade expands at a rate far below an average annual growth range for China's external trade; Japan's direct investment in China has gone down more than 20 percent for the past two years owing to the devaluation of Japanese yen and other related factors, and a sense of proximity between the two nations is yet to be restored.Second, With the warmed-up bilateral political ties that are owed directly to two domestic and external structural changes, Japan's parties both in power and in opposition all support the improvement of its relations with China, and the right-wing forces have been marginalized in the Japanese circle. Internationally, China and Japan can increase their friendship and cooperation, free from any obstruction from any global power. The close attention, however, still needs to be attached to the issue of how the political situation in Japan and in the world at large would evolve in the years ahead. As long as the two vital situations impacting Japan are not reversed, and stability and development is maintained in China, it is quite possible for bilateral ties to ring in a new period of leaps and bounds through the concerted efforts of both sides.By Professor Liu Jiangyong with the Institute of International Studies under prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing and translated by People's Daily Online