Exchanging congratulations on 45 years of peace and friendship pact, the two sides vow to enhance ties

Wu Jianghao, China’s ambassador to Japan, delivers a speech on Oct 23 during a commemorative reception in Tokyo to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan. (PHOTO / REUTERS)

As a climax of the celebrations of the 45th anniversary of the signing of the landmark Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan, leaders from both sides pledged to relive the spirit of the treaty and envisioned the future growth of bilateral ties.

Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Oct 23 exchanged congratulatory messages on the 45th anniversary of the signing of the treaty.

In his message, Li expressed Beijing’s willingness to work with Tokyo to “firmly grasp the correct direction of the development of the two countries’ relations” and commit to building a China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.

In August 1978, the leaderships of the two countries made a strategic decision to sign the treaty, one of the four landmark bilateral political documents signed since the normalization of China-Japan relations in 1972.

The treaty, in the form of a legal protocol, sets out the general direction of bilateral ties, featuring peaceful coexistence and friendship between the two neighboring countries for generations to come, and emphasizes that both nations are opposed to hegemonism.

In his message, Li described the treaty as “an important milestone in the development process of relations between the two countries” and said China is willing to work with Japan to “relive the spirit of the treaty”.

The premier said the development of China-Japan relations over the past 45 years was “hard-won”.

He said the progress made in the relationship “has enhanced the well-being of the two peoples and contributed in positive ways to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region and the world”.

Kishida, meanwhile, said in his message that “Japan is willing to relive the spirit of the treaty with China and strive for greater development of Japan-China relations”.

The Japanese prime minister said it is important for the two sides to work together to build a constructive and stable Japan-China relationship.

“Japan and China shoulder important responsibilities for peace and prosperity in the region and the world, and have the potential for cooperation in a wide range of areas,” he said.

Addressing a commemorative reception in Tokyo on Oct 23, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa noted that there are many challenges facing Japan and China and that “we must renew our determination to further develop the aspirations of our predecessors, which are inscribed in the treaty”.

“It is important to pass on these aspirations to the next generation, who will be responsible for the future of both Japan and China, and to ensure that this treaty will always retain its brilliance,” Kamikawa added.

The minister said she firmly believes that Japan and China can pave the way to solving various issues and achieve peace and stability in East Asia through candid communication and continuous dialogue. 

China’s assistance is indispensable not only in terms of Japan-China relations but also in terms of addressing global issues such as climate change and pandemic response, Kamikawa said at the reception in Tokyo.

“Currently, there are various possibilities for cooperation in Japan-China relations, but at the same time, there are numerous challenges. In such times, it is crucial to engage in multi-level and repeated dialogue from the leadership level to the public level to jointly accelerate the building of a constructive and stable Japan-China relationship,” she said. 

About 1,000 representatives from Japan’s political sector, economic sector, friendly organizations, and overseas Chinese communities, including Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura and Minister of Justice Ryuji Koizumi, attended the reception.

On Oct 23, 1978, during the visit of then Chinese Vice-Premier Deng Xiaoping to Japan, the two countries exchanged the approval documents for the Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which officially came into effect. 

“Our ancestors, generation after generation, have made efforts for the development of Japan-China relations. This invaluable spirit is worth revisiting, and we can learn many things from it,” said Toshihiro Nikai, a member of Japan’s House of Representatives and chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians’ Union. 

China’s Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao noted that 45 years after the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the world is undergoing rapid changes, and that the international and regional situations are becoming more complex and volatile. 

“China-Japan relations are facing increasingly challenging internal and external environments. The times demand that we draw wisdom and inspiration from the 45-year development process of China-Japan relations and deeply contemplate the precious values and paths to achieve peace and friendship in this new context,” Wu said. 

He emphasized that both sides should adhere to the spirit of the treaty, and rigorously fulfill the principles and obligations established in the four political documents between China and Japan. 

“Together, we should build China-Japan relations that align with the requirements of the new era,” he said. “We are willing to work with the Japanese side to manage existing conflicts and differences, address new challenging issues, deepen practical exchanges and cooperation,” he added. 

In the context of the relationship between Japan and China, establishment of mutual trust at the highest levels of both nations is indispensable, said Takeshi Noda, president of the Japan-China Society. It is essential to actively promote people-to-people exchanges, he said.

Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the Japan-China Exchange Promotion Executive Committee and chairman of the Japan Business Federation, said Japan and China must deepen and expand cooperation. 

“Looking back over the past 45 years, the relationship between the two countries has not always been smooth. However, our predecessors faced each issue at the time with sincerity, thus laying the foundation for our present-day relationship,” Tokura said. 

Amid the 45th anniversary of the peace and friendship treaty, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Japanese counterpart Kamikawa exchanged congratulatory messages on Oct 23.

The exchange of congratulatory messages between the two sides “sends an important positive message of upholding China-Japan peace, friendship and cooperation”, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.

Cheng Yonghua, executive vice-president of the China-Japan Friendship Association and former Chinese ambassador to Japan, said China-Japan ties have been dampened recently as Tokyo issued negative signals on strategically blocking China and economically “decoupling” with China, and some Japanese politicians even linked the situation in the Taiwan Strait to Japan.

Last year, bilateral trade totaled $357.4 billion, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

About 61.5 percent of Chinese respondents and 53.1 percent of Japanese respondents endorsed the importance of people-to-people exchanges in improving bilateral relations, according to a recent survey by China International Publishing Group and Japanese think tank Genron NPO.

Meanwhile, a consensus on peaceful development and win-win collaboration between China and Japan was reached at the 19th Beijing-Tokyo Forum, which concluded in Beijing on Oct 20.

About 100 experts and scholars from the two countries who gathered for the event believed that China and Japan should work together to build peace and security in Asia and the world, at a time when the risks of global division and regional conflicts continue to increase.

China and Japan should rekindle the original intention of the 1978 treaty, said the consensus, calling on the two sides to strive to build a peaceful and secure order in Asia and the world.

At this time, communication and dialogue are particularly important, said the consensus, suggesting that the two countries should establish structured dialogue mechanisms.

“The economies of China and Japan complement each other well, and they face common challenges such as the environment, declining birthrates, aging populations and diminishing growth potential. Both countries should strive to create a market-oriented, rule-of-law and internationalized business environment, and promote the process of Asian economic integration,” it said.

Cheng, the former Chinese ambassador to Japan, said economic complementarity and interdependence between the two nations has always existed, and would continue to deepen despite significant changes in their respective economic structures.

Contact the writers at zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn