CHINA / National

China, Japan to conduct joint study on history

By Sun Shangwu (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2006-11-16 13:28

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, right, talks with Japanese counterpart Taro Aso during their meeting held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference (APEC) summit in Hanoi, Vietnam November 16, 2006. [AP]

HANOI -- China and Japan agreed Thursday to make a joint research on history, which in the past blocked advancement of bilateral relations from time to time.

The announcement was made after the meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his Japanese counterpart Aso Taro on the sideline of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) meeting.

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The joint research will be conduced according to principles of three political documents signed by the two countries, including the China-Japan Joint Statement as well as with the spirit of "facing the future", according to Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The purpose is to "deepen the objective understanding of history and increase mutual understanding."

The joint research will cover more than 2,000-year history of bilateral exchanges, the history in modern times, including the period of Japanese invasion to China and other Asian countries, as well as the development of bilateral relations in the past 60 years since the end of the World War II.

A total of 20 scholars, with 10 from each side, will establish a committee to conduct the research. There are two groups in charge of ancient history and modern history respectively.

The Institute of Modern History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Japan Institute of International Affairs will be responsible for the research by holding conference in rotation. The first conference will be held this year and they are scheduled to publish the joint research results in 2008, when the two countries will celebrate 30th anniversary of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty.

Bilateral relations soured after former Japanese Junichiro Koizumi repeatedly visited the Yasukuni Shrine which honours 14 class-a convicted war criminals from World War II along with the country's war dead after he took office in 2001.

Some politicians refuse to admit the atrocities committed by Japanese invasion troops during the World War II to China and Asian countries, which have great harmed the feeling of Asian peoples and destroyed Japan's relations with its neighbours.