Beijing and Tokyo should enhance ties, experts say

Sino-Japanese relations at crossroads in face of volatile intl situation

China and Japan should uphold the principles of friendly coexistence and win-win cooperation while promoting stable and healthy development of bilateral relations, experts urged on Tuesday.

The remarks came at a symposium named "Takeo Fukuda and Postwar Japan" held in Beijing, coinciding with the release of the Chinese edition of the Biography of Takeo Fukuda: Seeking Prosperity and Stability in Post-war Japan.

The event took place a day after a reception commemorating the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship in Beijing.

Wang Changlin, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Sino-Japanese relations have once again stood at the crossroads in the face of a volatile and intertwined international situation.

Reevaluating the ideas of Fukuda, particularly his pacifist ideology of "Japan not becoming a military power", holds great importance in building a healthy and stable Beijing-Tokyo relationship in the new era, Wang said.

Fukuda was an important Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan during the signing of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1978. The treaty not only laid down the legal foundation for friendly development between the two countries but also made significant contributions to regional peace and stability, Wang said.

The former Japanese prime minister also introduced the Fukuda Doctrine in 1977, expressing Japan's determination to never again become a military power and aiming to strengthen its relations with Southeast Asian nations.

Wang called on both China and Japan to adopt an objective and rational view of historical developments, follow the principles of friendly coexistence and win-win cooperation, and promote stable and healthy development of their relations.

In the preface of the biography's Chinese edition, Yasuo Fukuda, former Japanese prime minister from 2007-08 and also son of Takeo Fukuda, said Japan and China share close ties due to their geographical proximity.

He also highlighted the immense harm that Japan had caused to neighboring Asian countries, including China, during the first half of the 20th century.

It was not until the 1970s, with the signing of the historical treaty, that Sino-Japanese relations gradually embarked on the path of peaceful development, he said.

Considering the significance of the 45th anniversary of the treaty's signing this year, Yasuo expressed his hope at the symposium that the book would enhance China's understanding of Japan and contribute to the stable growth of relations between the two neighbors.