Op-Ed Contributors

Ties with Japan important

By Yang Bojiang (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-16 08:01

The first impression of Japan for Chinese people is now "electronic appliances", rather than "Nanjing Massacre" as it was a few years ago. This is partly a reflection of positive changes in Chinese people's opinions towards Japan. However, among the factors that negatively affect Chinese people's attitudes towards Japan, a country that caused enormous distress to the Chinese nation and its people during World War II, historical issues still take the lead. About 58.9 percent of the surveyed Chinese are still psychologically plagued by Japan's past aggression in their country and believe that there is still a lack of such recognition among Japanese people towards this issue, the survey shows.

Compared with the general public, Chinese students, however, are more concerned over Japan's current political and military moves, the survey shows. Compared with the 58 percent of the polled Chinese students who criticize Japan's lack of a correct perception of historical issues, 68.8 percent worry more about the emerging disputes between the two countries over territorial claims and maritime resources.

The Chinese public has increasingly harbored a global and wider diplomatic perspective in their view of Japan and the country's relations with it, according to the survey. The Sino-Japanese relationship is among the most important bilateral ties in the world and Tokyo has long served as a key member in China's power-to-power and neighboring diplomatic strategy. Out of the need to maintain their national interests, more and more Chinese people have acknowledged the value of a good relationship with Japan. At the same time, the "Japan concept" among the Chinese public, especially among its young people, has tended to stabilize regardless of the frequent political changes in its neighbor over the past few years.

Chinese people now place global issues at the top of cooperation with Japan, the poll indicates, as 67.3 percent of the Chinese public and 71.2 percent of its students believe the country should strengthen cooperation with Japan in energy and environment and resolve bilateral disputes through dialogue in a bid to avoid confrontation.

The rise of China's national strength has also increased the Chinese public's confidence to push for healthy development of the long-complicated and intractable ties with Japan. Compared with the surveys in previous years, the one conducted by China Daily and the Genron NPO this year shows that Chinese people have become more optimistic about their self-development. It shows that 83 percent of Chinese people are optimistic about the country's economic prospects and 25.9 percent believe China will replace the United States to become the world's largest economy by 2050. Although some Chinese people feel unsatisfied towards the status quo of Sino-Japanese relations, many of them still hold an optimistic view of the future ties 60.2 percent of the Chinese public positively looks at the prospect of Sino-Japanese relations, believing the ties will advance in a better direction.

The media have played an important role in boosting Japan's image among Chinese people. The survey shows that 94.4 percent of the Chinese public and 78.8 percent of its students have acquired information about Japan through television, newspapers, magazines, the Internet and radio.

Although the Yasukuni Shrine issue has faded from public view to some extent, historical issues are still the biggest factor hindering the improvement of people's impressions of Japan, the poll shows. Among the Chinese public who held negative opinions about Japan, most of them cited Tokyo's wrong stance on historical issues as the largest factor. About 53.5 percent of the Chinese public and 47.8 percent of its students believe Japanese politicians should not pay pilgrimage to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine no matter the pretext.

The author is director of the Institute of Japanese Studies under the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

(China Daily 08/16/2010 page8)