Chapter 27 Prime Minister Zhou Zhou and the Three Principles for Japan

On the occasion of the 90th birthday of Premier Zhou Enlai, it is unforgettable to review his earnest teaching and kind care for us in foreign trade work. Work with Japan has always occupied an important position in my country's foreign-related activities.In the 1950s and 1960s, trade with Japan was an important link in Sino-Japanese relations.Before the restoration of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations, Premier Zhou was very concerned about the development of trade with Japan. The four non-governmental trade agreements between China and Japan in the 1950s, the friendly trade protocol and the memorandum of trade between Liao Chengzhi and Tatsunosuke Tatsunosuke in the 1960s, and the strategic deployment of trade with Japan in the 1970s were all carried out under his direct leadership.From the determination of policies and principles to the implementation of specific policies and measures, Premier Zhou devoted all his efforts, among which the famous three principles for Japan have a greater influence.

The three principles for Japan were proposed by Premier Zhou when he met Kazuo Suzuki, the head of the Japan-China Trade Promotion Association on August 27, 1960.The main contents are: three principles of politics, three principles of trade, and the principle that politics and economy are inseparable.The three principles of politics are aimed at the Japanese government’s China policy at that time, requiring the Japanese government: first, not to be hostile to China; second, not to create “two Chinas”; third, not to obstruct the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations.The Three Principles of Trade is a summary of the experience of the formation, development and interruption of non-governmental trade between China and Japan in the 1950s. It is highly summarized in three sentences, namely: 1. Government agreement; 2. Private contract; 3. Individual care.Premier Zhou organically combined the three principles of politics and the three principles of trade, emphasizing that the three principles of trade should be subordinate to the three principles of politics, and at the same time more clearly stated the principle that politics and economy are inseparable.In this way, it hit the key point of the Japanese government's policy toward China at that time, exposing its political hostility to China and its nature of economic benefits, thus enabling us to clarify the guidelines for our trade work with Japan, and also enhance Japan's vast people's understanding of our country.The Three Principles for Japan are highly pertinent and appealing. They were not only the guidelines for the trade work with Japan in the 1960s, but also the guiding ideology and principles for developing relations with Japan, which later became a powerful driving force for the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations.

In order to break the "blockade and embargo", carry out non-governmental trade exchanges, and gradually promote the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations, as early as the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Premier Zhou made several speeches to clarify our country's basic views on Japan's policy. On September 28, 1953, when Premier Zhou met with his Japanese friend, Professor Oyama Ikuo, chairman of the Japan Peace Support Committee, he put forward basic policies regarding the Sino-Japanese relations after the signing of the "San Francisco Peace Treaty" by Japan and the United States at that time.He pointed out: We advocate the restoration of normal relations between China and Japan, but if Japan continues to serve as an aggressive tool of the United States, is hostile to my country, and maintains diplomatic relations with Japan and Chiang Kai-shek, Japan will increasingly become a factor of instability in the Pacific Ocean, thereby hindering the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Japan.Regarding the trade issue between China and Japan, there was an argument in Japan at the time that Japan should not provide China with technical equipment or help China to industrialize, because after China industrialized, it would no longer buy Japanese industrial products, so it was still "agricultural China and industrial Japan". as well.This proposition is actually a replica of Japan's colonialist trade before the war, and at the same time defends the "blockade and embargo" policy.Premier Zhou criticized this argument, saying: Sino-Japanese trade relations must be established on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.Only when China is industrialized can it completely change the so-called "industrial Japan, raw material China" imperialist and semi-colonial economic relations, and establish a trade relationship that is truly equal, mutually beneficial, and interlinked.As China gradually realizes industrialization, the production and needs of China's country and people will expand, and it will increasingly need to develop international trade relations. Japan is China's close neighbor. On the basis of peaceful coexistence, the development of Sino-Japanese trade and economic The exchange of ideas has its own bright future.He hoped that Japan would get rid of its status as a vassal of the United States, take the road of independence, peace, democracy, and freedom, and establish a good-neighborly relationship between China and Japan featuring mutual respect, mutual non-aggression, peaceful coexistence, equality and friendship, independent trade, and cultural exchanges.

During the Hatoyama cabinet in 1955 and 1956, Sino-Japanese non-governmental trade and friendly exchanges developed, and a mass movement was raised in Japan to promote the restoration of diplomatic relations between Japan, China, and Japan and the Soviet Union.The resumption of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Soviet Union was first realized in 1956, but due to the "Northern Territory" issue, the two countries have not been able to sign a peace treaty.The resumption of diplomatic relations between Japan and China has encountered a major obstacle, that is, the relationship between Japan and Taiwan.Following the United States, the Japanese government is unwilling to change the "peace treaty" relationship between Japan and Chiang Kai-shek. It insists on pursuing the policy of not recognizing the People's Republic of China, and proposes a policy of "separating politics and economy" from China, that is, recognizing Taiwan politically and economically within certain limits. Do business with mainland China.At the same time, another kind of argument appeared in Japan, advocating "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan".In fact, this is a conspiracy to split China.Not only was it resolutely opposed by the Chinese government, but even Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan disagreed.

When Premier Zhou met with the Japanese press and broadcasting delegation on August 17, 1955, he discussed five issues: one was the situation of the Sino-US Geneva negotiations, the other was the Japan-US San Francisco peace treaty, the third was the "peace treaty" between Japan and Chiang Kai-shek, and the fourth was the Prime Minister Hatoyama's visit to China, the fifth is the Asia-Pacific peace treaty.Premier Zhou emphasized that China is opposed to the San Francisco peace treaty, but it does not hinder the promotion of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations until the conclusion of the Sino-Japanese peace treaty; any sincere efforts to normalize Sino-Japanese relations should lead to the abolition of the "peace treaty" between Japan and Chiang Kai-shek; resolutely Oppose "two Chinas"; welcome Prime Minister Hatoyama or send representatives to visit China; consider concluding a collective peace treaty between Asia and the Pacific including the United States.

In February 1957, Japan replaced Nobusuke Kishi's cabinet, and a series of incidents hostile to China occurred, which set back the newly developed Sino-Japanese relations. On February 25, 1957, Premier Zhou met with Japanese reporters and pointed out some words and deeds of Prime Minister Kishi Nobusuke: He went to Taiwan and said to Chiang Kai-shek, "If the mainland can be recovered, I think it will be very good"; He said, "The CCP will try to infiltrate the whole of Asia"; when he visited India, he said, "China is not a member state in the United Nations, but an aggressive country. This resolution is still valid. For this reason, we cannot recognize the CCP."Premier Zhou compared the attitudes of the Chinese and Japanese governments.He said: China stated that it could sign a non-aggression treaty with Japan, and that it could revise the terms of the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance towards Japan, but Prime Minister Kishi said that China was "trying to infiltrate the whole of Asia"; On the basis of establishing normal relations between China and Japan, Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi went to Taiwan to claim support for Chiang Kai-shek’s recovery of the mainland. He did what previous Japanese prime ministers did not do; when I visited Asian and African countries, I contacted Japanese officials there. It always stated that Japan wants to get along well with Asian and African countries, but when Prime Minister Kishi went to India, he challenged China's friendly neighbors; on the issue of Sino-Japanese trade, China is preparing to sign a new fourth trade agreement with Japan. Commercial representative offices, and considering signing long-term contracts, but the Nobusuke Kishi government blocked the mutual establishment of commercial organizations and required Chinese representatives to print their fingerprints; The government proposed to investigate the missing 35,000 Japanese, as if China owed Japan something.

These factual and reasonable talks have had a great influence on Japanese public opinion.Many Japanese journalists were deeply moved by Premier Zhou's sincere speech and magnificent style, and many famous Japanese people who visited China also strongly sympathized with Premier Zhou's views.Some friends said that in the past, there were many vague views on the issue of Sino-Japanese relations. After listening to Premier Zhou's speech, they became clearer and had a clear direction for future work.Some admired Premier Zhou very much and regarded him as a lifelong mentor and friend, which strengthened their confidence in engaging in Japan-China friendship and trade.

At that time, the Japanese cabinet of Nobusuke Kishi followed the United States and had no intention of really improving Sino-Japanese relations. Under its policy of "separation of politics and economy", it allowed Japanese companies to do some trade within the scope of the "embargo" in an attempt to realize its "political hostile to the economy and make a fortune" policy.On the issue of mutual establishment of commercial institutions between China and Japan, the Kishi government has repeatedly created obstacles. First, it required the Chinese representatives to print their hands, then restricted the number of people, and finally overturned the trade agreement, publicly stating that Chinese institutions in Japan have no right to fly their own national flags. In May 1958, the incident of insulting the Chinese national flag occurred in Nagasaki, Japan. The Japanese authorities handled the case of "destruction of utensils" hastily, which aroused the indignation of the Chinese government and people.According to the demands of the people, the Chinese government adhered to the position of safeguarding our country's sovereignty and stopped issuing trade licenses to Japan.Sino-Japanese trade was once suspended.

In order to isolate the Japanese reactionary forces and win over the Japanese people, during the period of trade interruption, Premier Zhou, despite his busy schedule, still met with Japanese friends from time to time, and held long and patient conversations each time. On September 20, 1959, Premier Zhou and former Japanese Prime Minister Ishibashi Zhanshan issued a communiqué of talks, emphasizing the need to establish normal relations between China and Japan on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, opposing any conspiracy to create "two Chinas" and jointly The principle that politics and economics are inseparable is affirmed.This communique aroused strong repercussions in Japan, and it was a powerful blow to the Kishi government's policy of "separation of politics and economy".

The three political principles are the political basis for developing Sino-Japanese trade and Sino-Japanese relations.Premier Zhou used a dialectical method to make a convincing explanation.He said: These three principles are very fair, and they are not demanding on the Japanese government. You can understand them by asking them the other way around.First, the Chinese government is not hostile to Japan, and is willing to be friendly with Japan; second, the Chinese government only recognizes one Japan and does not engage in two Japans, and it will always negotiate with the Japanese government as its opponent; third, it always encourages, Support and help the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations.Why shouldn't the Japanese government do this?

Premier Zhou's speech aroused great repercussions in the Japanese government and the opposition.After Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda formed a cabinet, he may have accepted this lesson and acted more cautiously on the issue of Sino-Japanese relations.The three principles of politics are supported by the Japanese people, and the Japanese government dare not directly oppose them.Throughout the 1960s, the arguments of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" were unpopular, and the three principles of politics became well-known principles in Sino-Japanese exchanges, and also became the political basis for Sino-Japanese trade. Since several non-governmental trade agreements signed in the 1950s could not be guaranteed by the Japanese government, they could not be implemented.In order to promote the development of Sino-Japanese relations and trade relations in a good direction, Premier Zhou proposed three trade principles. It can only be signed when it develops in a friendly direction and establishes a normal relationship. (2) Non-governmental contracts: Before the signing of the government agreement, Japanese companies can sign contracts with Chinese companies after the introduction of the trade promotion organizations of both parties. The contract becomes a relatively long-term contract. (3) Individual care: During the period of trade interruption, China provided special care to individual Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises through the trade unions of both parties to meet their needs for importing certain necessary materials from China. This individual care can be expanded according to needs in the future.From 1960 until the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in 1972, the trade between the two sides was carried out on the basis of the above three trade principles. After Premier Zhou announced the Three Principles for Japan, he immediately started to deploy trade work with Japan.On the one hand, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade signed a trade protocol with relevant Japanese trade promotion organizations to carry out bilateral non-governmental friendly trade; Contacted, signed a memorandum of understanding to carry out comprehensive, long-term, barter, bulk, including deferred payment methods.Premier Zhou hoped that through the people of both sides, the work would be carried out in a gradual and cumulative manner, so as to gradually promote the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations.He often meets with representatives of Japanese trade promotion organizations, cares about the trade with Japan at the Guangzhou Fair, and regards it as an important part of the friendly relationship between the two peoples.At the same time, Premier Zhou did a lot of work on the people involved in Japan's memorandum of trade, from determining the political principles of the memorandum, trade methods to specific cargo lists, and conducted in-depth and meticulous research.In Japan's mass movement to promote the restoration of diplomatic relations between Japan and China, people from the trade circles have become an important force; on the part of the Japanese government and the ruling party, people from the memorandum of trade circles have played a powerful role in promoting.On the basis of the three principles of Sino-Japanese relations, through the work of these two trade channels, and through the joint efforts of the Chinese and Japanese people for more than ten years, the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries has finally been realized. At present, Sino-Japanese economic and trade relations are entering a new period of historical development.But it should also be noted that there are both positive factors and unresolved problems in the trade between China and Japan.History has proved that the three principles for Japan are the basis for developing Sino-Japanese relations.As long as we truly adhere to the three principles for Japan put forward by Premier Zhou 28 years ago and keep removing obstacles, the development of trade between China and Japan will have a bright future.