Spirit of peace, cooperation urged for better future of China-Japan relations

Experts have called for continuous progress in Sino-Japanese relations on a track of peace, friendship and cooperation, so as to work together to build a community with a shared future for humankind.

They made the remarks during a webinar held by Nanjing Normal University this week.

Lin Minjie, head of the Oriental Studies Center at Nanjing Normal University, presided over the meeting and relayed a message by former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama, in which Hatoyama outlined the history of normalization of diplomatic ties between China and Japan.

Hatoyama also expressed his hope for better and closer ties between the two countries.

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, Yasuhiko Washiyama, former president of Tokyo Gakugei University, looked back at the historical course of the 50 years and pinned his high hopes on better future ties between the two countries.

Official data showed that trade volume between China and Japan has increased from $1.1 billion in 1972 to $371.4 billion in 2021, and two-way investment volume has reached nearly $130 billion.

Eiichi Shindo, chairman of the International Academic Society for Asian Community, rejected the so-called China threat theory, while attaching great importance to the Belt and Road Initiative and building an Asian community with a shared future amid rising global uncertainty.

Akira Kimura, professor emeritus at Kagoshima University, emphasized the importance of avoiding conflicts and wars, saying that maintaining peace and regional stability in East Asia is a must.

Park Jae-woo, former dean of the Graduate School at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said both China and the Korean Peninsula share a common destiny, citing antiwar poems in both sides in Chinese during World War II.

Lin called on all parties to learn from history, inherit the spirit of peace and convey China's voice in multiple dimensions around the globe.

By doing so, people from many countries can have a better understanding of China, boost mutual trust and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humankind, she added.

The webinar on Sunday was attended by more than 600 people online, including more than 30 researchers from China, Japan and South Korea.