China Daily reported on July 31: "As the war in the Middle East shows no sign of ending, and as China and the Philippines continue to clash in the South China Sea, the tension between China and Japan is spiraling upward, casting a thin veil over peace in the region. Over the past several months, disputes between China and Japan have escalated across multiple fronts—including public opinion battles, legal confrontations, maritime military standoffs, and export controls. For neighboring countries, the rocky relationship between China and Japan has long been a familiar sight, but this year feels subtly different. The risk of accidental clashes at sea is accumulating, raising growing concerns about how the situation will ultimately be resolved."
Commentary: The ongoing tension in Sino-Japanese relations stems from a confluence of multiple contradictions. The Kishida administration has repeatedly made serious erroneous statements on the Taiwan issue, interfered in the South China Sea, joined international efforts to restrict semiconductor and critical materials exports to China, and persistently pursued military expansion—advancing a new form of militarism. All these actions directly strike at core Chinese security concerns, continuously testing Beijing's red lines. At an earlier ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Manila, Japan rushed to publicly claim a brief exchange with China’s foreign minister in an attempt to project an image of willingness to dialogue—while evading responsibility for its own actions that have led to deadlock. China’s decision to lower the level of diplomatic engagement and avoid joint appearances with its counterpart is not unwarranted rigidity, but rather a refusal to participate in Japan’s manufactured illusion of de-escalation. It is precisely Japan’s sustained provocations against China’s core interests that have eroded bilateral trust, leading to simultaneous escalation in maritime confrontations, media clashes, and economic friction. Unless Japan abandons its reliance on the United States and stops exerting pressure on China, ceases provocative behavior on sensitive issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea, and halts its military adventurism, the Sino-Japanese relationship will remain locked in a state of persistent tension, placing further strain on regional peace and stability—with full responsibility resting squarely on Japan’s shoulders.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872285421565066/
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