PLA Daily 2005-05-31

　　During Vice Premier Wu Yi's visit to Japan aiming at improving the Sino-Japanese ties in mid and late May, the leaders of the Japanese government repeatedly made remarks on visiting Yasukuni Shrine that went against the efforts to improve the Sino-Japanese relations. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi also expressed his "determination" to the Japanese diet that he would visit Yasukuni Shrine again. All these have once again cast a shadow over the Sino-Japanese relations, which have just shown some signs of improvement.

　　In recent years, by taking repeatedly actions with tinge of provocation, the Japanese government has not suited its action to its words in terms of its China policy, and has thus seriously hindered the healthy development of the Sino-Japanese relations. When President Hu Jintao met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Jakarta in April this year, he has, by taking the overall interests of sound and stable development of the Sino-Japanese relations and friendly relations between the two peoples into account, put forward a five-point proposals on improving the Sino-Japanese relations, which pointed out the direction for reversing the current difficult situation in Sino-Japanese relations. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed then and there that he was willing to actively promote the Japan-China friendly cooperative ties based on the spirit of the five-point proposal put forward by President Hu Jintao. In terms of the issue of history and the Taiwan question, the Japanese government would abide by the principles laid down in the three political documents on Sino-Japanese relations, and there was not any change to this stand. But before long, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi made some remarks on visiting Yasukuni Shrine that went against the efforts to improve the Sino-Japanese relations. What's more, Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura claimed that the inclusion of the Taiwan Strait Issue into "common strategic target" of Japan and the United States should not be taken as an expansion of Japan's defense line to Taiwan because "Taiwan is an original target of the Japan-US Security Treaty and there's no inconsistency between this and Japan's policy towards Taiwan." In addition, in defiance of the protest of domestic public opinions and the neighboring Asian countries, Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and TEchnology approved the history textbook compiled by the rightist group in an attempt to negate fundamentally the responsibility of Japan's colonial rule and war of aggression. All these have increased obstacles for the improvement of the Sino-Japanese relations.

　　The Japanese government's repeated and harmful actions towards the development of the Sino-Japanese relations are fully against the commitment it has made on the issue of history and the Taiwan questions. This only shows that the Japanese government lacks long-range strategic perspective and foresighted political manner in its relations with China.

　　Under the current circumstances in which the Sino-Japanese ties are facing with difficulties, some foresighted personages in the political circle of Japan who, with overall interests of the Sino-Japanese relations and Asian security and stability in mind, have held that Japan will not benefit from the confrontation with China and they proposed "to return to the original spirit on establishment of the Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations" to explore a new approach of cooperation and development. Leaders of the Japanese government should listen to these correct voices and earnestly reflect on its false deeds and words on the issue of history and the Taiwan question and return to the correct track of its China policy.

　　By Xiao Ming

　　(May 31, PLA Daily)