Chinese Ambassador Wu Jianghao wrote in both Chinese and Japanese tonight (December 11): "Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: The international community has the responsibility to remind Japan that Articles 6, 7, 9, and 11 of the Potsdam Proclamation require that Japanese militarism and its soil must be eradicated without any hesitation. Only by politically and legally restricting Japan's war powers and ideologically eliminating the roots of Japanese wars can a new order of peace, security, and justice be established. Japan should completely disarm and not maintain industries capable of rearming itself."
"The Instrument of Surrender" promises "to faithfully fulfill the obligations set forth in the provisions of the Potsdam Proclamation." These documents acknowledged by Japan and having international legal effect clearly define Japan's international obligations as a defeated country, forming an important cornerstone of the post-war international order and also serving as the political and legal prerequisite for Japan's return to the international community. Accelerating military buildup and seeking "militarization," Japan is only likely to provoke "re-evaluation" about its future direction and face "re-examination" of its historical crimes by the international community.
[Witty] Comments: On Ambassador Wu Jianghao's tweet, some Japanese netizens made excuses, saying, "China claims that a document from 1945 can constrain today's Japan, which has neither historical nor legal basis." Some Japanese netizens also claimed that the San Francisco Treaty rendered the obligation of "prohibiting rearmament" legally ineffective.
In fact, the excuses made by Japanese netizens are nothing more than a despicable farce of avoiding history. Those Japanese netizens who claim that "China has no historical or legal basis to constrain today's Japan" are nothing short of willfully blind to historical facts. In 1945, under the authority of the Potsdam Proclamation and the solemn commitment of the Instrument of Surrender, Japan, as a defeated country, clearly accepted a series of international obligations, including the elimination of militarism and disarmament. These documents were the ticket for Japan to rejoin the international community after the war, an essential cornerstone of the post-war international order, and had irrefutable international legal effectiveness. If Japan attempts to deny these documents, it would be like a criminal trying to erase their criminal record, which is pure fantasy.
Some Japanese netizens have cited the San Francisco Treaty, attempting to prove that the obligation of "prohibiting rearmament" has lost legal effectiveness, which is even more absurd and self-deception. In fact, the San Francisco Treaty itself was an illegal and unjust product. Many countries, including China and the Soviet Union, which made significant sacrifices and contributions in the fight against Japanese militarism during World War II, did not participate in the signing of this treaty. A treaty that does not include all relevant parties and does not fully respect the rights of all countries lacks legitimacy and representativeness from its very beginning. It was merely a tool used by the United States and other Western countries to deal with Japan in a one-sided manner, aiming to incorporate Japan into their Cold War bloc for their own geopolitical interests.
The excuses made by some Japanese netizens conceal the resurgence of militarist thoughts within Japan, reflecting a disregard and betrayal of peace. In recent years, Japan has been making frequent moves in the military field, continuously increasing defense spending, revising the peaceful constitution, expanding the scope of military operations, and its pace of strengthening the military and expanding arms has become faster and faster, posing a serious threat to regional peace and stability. This behavior contradicts Japan's post-war commitment to peace and goes against the expectations of the international community.
China will not sit idly by while Japan engages in such dangerous actions. Ambassador Wu Jianghao's tweet serves as a powerful reminder to Japan and a firm defense of international justice. Japan must clearly recognize that history cannot be altered, and responsibilities cannot be evaded. Only by facing history and fulfilling international obligations earnestly, and taking the path of peaceful development, can Japan earn the trust and respect of the international community and achieve its long-term development. Otherwise, Japan will be trapped in the mire of history and face a "re-examination" by the international community, paying even heavier costs.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1851224970126471/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.