Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said he hopes people from all sectors in Japan will fully understand the high sensitivity of the Taiwan question and take concrete actions to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

At an event sponsored by the Japan-China Society in Tokyo on May 29, Liu highlighted that the Taiwan question concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and affects the national sentiments of the Chinese people. It is at the core of China’s core interests and forms the foundation of China-Japan relations.

He noted that successive Japanese governments have maintained an unchanged stance on the Taiwan question, adhering to the one-China principle, which China appreciates.

Liu said conflicts and differences between countries are inevitable, and handling them tests the breadth and wisdom of the parties involved. He stressed that the key is not to touch each other’s bottom line

However, some people in Japan have sensationalized the notion that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency”, distorting the Chinese mainland’s Taiwan policy and even advocating for Japan to fight for Taiwan island, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao said at a symposium in Tokyo on May 20.

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China urges Japan to honor its commitments and cease provocative actions regarding China’s Taiwan region, Wu said.

Liu said conflicts and differences between countries are inevitable, and handling them tests the breadth and wisdom of the parties involved. He stressed that the key is not to touch each other’s bottom line.

“On the Taiwan question, there is a consensus between China and Japan, and there are documents between the two countries that stipulate this. We hope that these provisions and this consensus will be effectively implemented,” he said.

China hopes that Japan will continue to follow the path of a peaceful nation. The Asia-Pacific region is a high ground for peace and development. If conflict erupts, the cost will ultimately be borne by the countries in the region, Liu said.

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“China and Japan have a responsibility to be stabilizers of peace and security. We should jointly uphold the bottom line of peaceful coexistence, oppose ideological confrontation and geopolitical conflict, avoid choosing sides and forming alliances, and reject inciting a new Cold War and an arms race,” he said.

He hopes that Japan can establish a correct understanding of China with a broader perspective, grasp the tone of a correct China policy, and continue to join hands with Beijing to be partners in maintaining world peace, stability, development and prosperity.

On May 29, Liu also met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, and leaders of the ruling and opposition parties.

Kamikawa said that the two countries must make progress on various issues and pending matters and achieve tangible results in areas of cooperation. This cannot be separated from multi-level personnel exchanges. She said she hopes for an early realization of reciprocal visits between the foreign ministers of Japan and China.

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During the event on May 29, Junya Ogawa, a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and a member of Japan’s House of Representatives, expressed a desire for China to lift its ban on the imports of aquatic products originating from Japan

In recent years, high-level exchanges between Japan and China have decreased, said Shin Kawashima, professor in the Department of Advanced Social and International Studies at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He hopes for more high-level meetings, hotlines, and other communication channels and mechanisms.

“I also hope that the dialogue held during Liu’s visit to Japan will be used as an opportunity to expand people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan. Although various kinds of information can be found online, face-to-face communication is better as it can reduce misunderstandings,” Kawashima said.

During the event on May 29, Junya Ogawa, a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and a member of Japan’s House of Representatives, expressed a desire for China to lift its ban on the imports of aquatic products originating from Japan.

Liu responded that if the Chinese government decides to resume importing Japanese aquatic products, it has the responsibility and obligation to address Chinese consumers’ concerns: are the products safe?

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“If we cannot scientifically and accurately determine the safety of these aquatic products, it is difficult to address public concerns,” he said.

“Currently, diplomatic departments of China and Japan have made some progress in consultations on the issue of discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, but there have also been setbacks. I hope that both sides can promote relevant consultations with a pragmatic and scientific attitude, truly be responsible to consumers and to the people of both countries, make accurate judgments on the safety of aquatic products, and also make accurate judgments on the safety of our waters,” Liu said.

jiangxueqing@chinadaily.com.cn