Chapter 52 China can't live without Japan

Culture matters.But getting culture into action is very difficult. This is because it is easy for people to get stuck in a mindset and it is difficult to change their concepts and mentality.After the reform and opening up, China's decision makers and thinkers were consciously or unconsciously influenced by realism or liberalism, and generally ignored the role of culture.This phenomenon is not unique to China, but is widespread.Although everyone can understand that increasing attractiveness, making others actively follow, or creating inevitability is far more effective than coercion by force, how to find a way is still unclear.Therefore, researching and forming the values ​​that China urgently needs to promote should not only be written on paper, but more importantly, be kept in mind and become the identity of the Chinese people.We must actively promote China's cultural values ​​to the outside world, and we must use this as a standard to judge the right and wrong of things, better seek common ground while reserving differences, and increase consensus with the international community.For example, historical issues are a major bottleneck in the development of Sino-Japanese relations, and there is a huge gap in the emotions and understandings of the Chinese and Japanese people.Of course, the Japanese militarism's crime of aggression against China should be liquidated, and it is necessary to learn from history.But nearly 60 years after the end of World War II, how can we narrow the gap in understanding for a new generation who have no idea what war is?

It may be more acceptable to young people to criticize and expose Japan's crimes of aggression against China from the height of human rights abuses and genocide than to simply criticize militarism. Not long ago, I read "The Rise of China - What Japan Should Do" by Toshiya Tsugami, President of East Asia Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd., and I was deeply moved.Tsugami Toshiya said: "For the Japanese, World War II has two levels, namely the war against China and the war against white people such as Britain and the United States. Although the two are related, the Japanese think that each is independent. The dual nature of this war complicates the understanding of the war by the Japanese. Why did tens of millions of Japanese nationals participate in the signature activity demanding the amnesty of war criminals after the war? Why do so many Japanese nationals fail to agree with the International Military Trial in the Far East (especially for the The definition of 'war criminals')? Why do so many Japanese visit the Yasukuni Shrine? The reason is that, for most Japanese who lost their loved ones, World War II meant a war with Britain and the United States."

Generally speaking, I feel that Sino-Japanese relations are still relatively difficult and complicated.In fact, it is the simultaneous rise of two great powers, how to treat each other and how to get along with each other. Aso said he was the first Japanese foreign minister to publicly welcome the "rise of China". In fact, Japan has risen a long time ago, and now it is the second strongest economy in the world.When its economy is strong, it wants to become a political and military power.Of course, a military power does not mean launching a war.This is very natural.But Japan is particularly worried, whether China's rise will pose a threat to it?Originally, China is a big country and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It is relatively strong politically. If it becomes stronger economically, it will rise and become an economic power. dominance.

Before Abe stepped down, he made many actions, and the direction of those actions is still very clear. In fact, China does not want to compete with it for dominance in East Asia, and it is impossible to compete with it for dominance in East Asia.Our strength is limited and we cannot reach it.But it's no use explaining it to us. Or Abe's "ice-breaking trip" solved some practical problems. Abe's visit to China solved three major problems.First, political economy cannot be separated.This is very important, because it turns out that politics and economy are separated, and while developing the economy, one visits the Yasukuni Shrine at the same time, resulting in political coldness and economic hotness, which is not acceptable.Second, the strategic mutual benefit relationship.This point is also very important.In the past, Japan refused to talk to us.It has a military alliance with the United States, so it is willing to talk about a strategic partnership.Moreover, it said that there is no common value between China and Japan, and it would not talk to us about strategic reciprocity.Now it has proposed it on its own initiative, saying that it wants to establish a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship with us.Third, start FTA negotiations.Originally, I wanted to talk to us after all the Asian countries had finished their talks.It's different now.Saying that the talks are about to start, but the start of the talks does not mean the completion of the talks.It won't happen overnight.But it is also a good thing for mutual benefit.In short, the more China develops, the more Japan cannot ignore China's existence.Conversely, China cannot do without Japan.Premier Wen's "Ice Melting Journey" also has five major consensuses.First, we should support each other's peaceful rise, and we should not regard each other's peaceful development as a threat.This is a really good statement. Both parties must have a correct view, not only us, but also them.Second, mutual benefit and win-win economically.Third, strengthen military cooperation.This is the most sensitive point, and Japan is especially sensitive, because China and Japan are too close to each other and are neighbors.Fourth, China and Japan should work together to promote East Asian cooperation.

A strip of water. Yes, neighboring countries with a strip of water are not as far away as the United States.Fifth, strengthen people-to-people exchanges.There was a time in the past when there were so many and strong resentments, and people-to-people exchanges were in a state of slack.The more you don't communicate, the more disgusting you feel. There is now a noticeable increase in communication. But Sino-Japanese relations are a long-term problem, which cannot be resolved in a day or two.Now there are very good signs. The leaders and elites of the two countries have an idea and a desire to advocate cooperation and friendship. That's good.

Even if Abe steps down, we still affirm that he has made positive contributions to the healthy development of Sino-Japanese relations. Abe is different from Koizumi.When Koizumi ran for the president of the Liberal Democratic Party in the spring of 2001, he was the only one among all the candidates who clearly proposed to develop Sino-Japanese relations.After he took office, he repeatedly stated that he would further develop Sino-Japanese relations, emphasizing that China is not a threat to Japan but an opportunity.However, while Koizumi's statement about the importance of Sino-Japanese relations is still in my ears, he himself has paid homage to the Yasukuni Shrine for four consecutive years in disregard of China's repeated protests, resulting in the suspension of mutual visits between the two heads of state for three years.This is not only unprecedented in the history of Sino-Japanese exchanges since the normalization of diplomatic relations, but also extremely rare in the bilateral relations between major powers in the world.In addition, the Japanese government has repeatedly stated that it does not support Taiwan's independence, but it has openly supported Taiwan's membership in the WHO as an observer, "releasing" the substantive relationship between Japan and Taiwan.While calling on China to adopt Japan's Shinkansen technology, the Japanese government is lobbying Russia to change the direction of the oil pipeline from Siberia to the Far East, blatantly competing with China for oil resources.In addition, the investigation of seabed resources in the disputed area east of the so-called "middle line" unilaterally claimed by Japan in the East China Sea constitutes a serious provocation to China's sovereignty.

Koizumi did not play cards according to the routine, and Japanese public opinion also said that his diplomacy "forgot China". We also need policy adjustments.From a strategic perspective, how the two countries will position each other in the next 20 years and how to properly deal with existing problems will be important issues to be resolved in the process of China's peaceful rise.