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First Japanese naval visit brings memories, smiles
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-28 18:09 During 1931 and 1945, Japanese troops invaded China and the war lasted until the end of the World War II. Resentment still remains between the two nations as there are disputes on history, sovereignty and the exploration of resources under the sea.
The military exchange came after another breakthrough in Sino-Japanese relations as a result of President Hu Jintao's landmark visit to Japan earlier this year. The two countries announced last week they reached a consensus in principle on the East China Sea issue. "I'm especially interested in the missile system on the ship," Jin said. "Japan invaded us before, but now the relationship is peaceful and we should look forward to the future." The destroyer, weighing in at 4,650 standard tons, set off from Hiroshima for a reciprocal visit; the Chinese missile destroyer "Shenzhen" docked in Japan late last year. When the Japanese warship arrived on Tuesday, the Chinese navy held a reception for the visitors that evening. At the beginning, the sailors from the two sides were reserved. But after a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere turned lively. In spite of the language barrier, many tried to talk to each other at the reception. "I thought the Japanese military men were quite rigid, but actually they are lively people and are well-educated," said navy officer Pan Lanbo, who works on the "Shenzhen" and visited Japan last November. "I also think their weapons and management are very modernized." Apart from the exchange of visits, officers from both sides held seminars to exchange experience with disaster relief and other activities. Braving the rain on Wednesday, the Chinese and Japanese officers and soldiers had basketball and football matches and played tug-of-war in a sports field at the dock. Before heading back to Japan, the destroyer had a drill with the Chinese navy in the sea area near Zhanjiang. It focused on communication and formation. Tetsuya Hayashi, who works at the public affairs section of the maritime staff office in Japan's Ministry of Defense, said he was happy to visit China. "I found Chinese people very friendly, and the liquor tastes good." A Japanese soldier, who identified himself by his surname Mafu, spoke fluent Chinese. He talked about how Buddhism was introduced from China to Japan at Tuesday's reception. "It is my first time in China. I hope to see more of Zhanjiang and talk to more ordinary Chinese people." "I believe the Japanese Self-Defense Forces will have more opportunities to conduct exchanges with the Chinese navy," said Bonji Ohara, an official with the Japanese Ministry of Defense. On Wednesday morning, Japanese unloaded disaster-relief goods including food, blankets, hygiene masks, disinfectant and other items they had brought for the quake area in southwest China. "The visit is a sign of the friendly ties between the Chinese people and the Japanese people," said Lt. Gen. Su Shiliang. He expressed gratitude to Japan for providing aid and assistance after the May 12 earthquake and for relief materials shipped to the quake zone. Aspirations for Rebuilding Trust Japanese media gave low-key coverage to the warship's visit. The Kyodo News Agency quoted Japan's Defense Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, as saying he didn't think the visit would remove all the barriers in the Sino-Japanese relationship. "A trustworthy relationship could not be set up in a day," he said. And in crowded internet chatrooms in China, the coming of the Japanese warship became a major topic of debate. A netizen from Wuhan in central Hubei Province said at sina.com: "Japan did wrong to us before. But we can still learn from them now." Another netizen, from the central Henan Province, called the visit a "historic breakthrough." He added: "We should develop our country without losing our nation's integrity." "The Japanese warship visit to China brings with it aspirations for rebuilding trust and strengthening cooperation, but aspirations are not enough. What we expect is substantial progress and a mutually beneficial future for both peoples," said Che Hu, a senior editor of the Beijing-based magazine Military World. |
