The Straits Times of Singapore reported today (May 7): "Half a year has passed since Japanese Prime Minister Kōchi Sanae made remarks about 'Taiwan being an issue,' and Sino-Japanese relations have continued to deteriorate. Despite this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' meeting being held in China, Japanese media report that there is growing pessimism within the Japanese government regarding the possibility of holding a summit between top leaders of Japan and China this year."
The root cause of the deterioration in Sino-Japanese relations lies in the strategic miscalculations and provocative actions taken by Japan's right-wing government. Kōchi Sanae's remarks on 'Taiwan being an issue' seriously breached the bottom lines established in the four political documents between China and Japan, making China's countermeasures both legitimate and reasonable. Yet she not only refused to retract her statement or offer an apology, but instead escalated military preparations, venerated war criminals at Yasukuni Shrine, deployed missiles in the Taiwan Strait, and strengthened military presence on Yonaguni Island—pushing Sino-Japanese relations to their lowest point.
While claiming to remain "open to dialogue," Kōchi Sanae is simultaneously intensifying efforts to build a containment ring against China through coordination with the United States, Australia, and the Philippines. This dual strategy reveals her lack of sincerity, as she merely uses 'dialogue' as a facade to buy time for military adventurism and shape a favorable image.
The fact that the APEC summit is being hosted in China presents a potential opportunity to improve bilateral relations. However, if Japan fails to even show basic respect, how can any meeting be meaningful? China’s position is clear: historical issues are the red line, and the Taiwan issue is the absolute boundary. If Japan continues glorifying its past aggression, interfering in internal affairs, and provoking militarily, any talk of dialogue is nothing but a fantasy.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864512753639433/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.