Policy consistency matters

CHINA WAS QUICK TO EXTEND COMGRATULATIONS to Yoshihiko Noda after he won an inter-party election on Monday and became Japan's sixth prime minister in six years. This shows Beijing attaches great importance to its neighbor.

It is no exaggeration to say that Sino-Japanese ties are a constant victim of Japan's "revolving door" leadership. Each time, a new leader comes to power in Tokyo, Beijing has more often than not had to make policy adjustments.

The constant change in leadership has become an obstacle to the healthy and smooth growth of bilateral ties, as mutual political trust between the two countries gets little chance and time to deepen.