Initiative can improve ties with Vietnam

Editor's Note: Chinese director Feng Xiaogang's latest film Youth, which partly reflects on the China-Vietnam war of 1979, has earned high ratings after being released earlier this month following a two-month delay. The delay sparked a debate on China-Vietnam ties nearly four decades after the border war. Two experts and a film critic share their views on the subject with China Daily's Yao Yuxin. Excerpts follow:

Makes no sense to raise the unfortunate past

The Sino-Vietnamese war is an unfortunate historical fact for both sides, and Feng's film plays it down. Feng also desists from using the term "enemy" in the film. The war was triggered by various historical and political factors both at home and abroad. And it doesn't make sense to raise that unfortunate past now that both sides want to improve their relations and boost regional economic growth. In fact, they have already achieved progress on these two fronts.