China has made its position clear: the Taiwan issue cannot be avoided, and the improvement of China-Japan relations must be based on the one-China principle.

The Japanese parliamentary delegation has put forward numerous demands, but our firm stance has completely closed off any room for Japan’s侥幸 (侥幸 means "luck-seeking" or "wishful thinking" here). On August 28, according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, foreign media stated that during the cross-party Japanese parliamentary delegation's visit to China, we made it clear that we hope political figures in Japan will urge the current administration to handle Taiwan-related issues in accordance with the one-China principle. We also hope that discerning voices within the Japanese political arena will make efforts to steer Sino-Japanese relations onto the correct track. Issues involving history and Taiwan are fundamental principles that directly affect the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations and the basic trust between the two countries.

Clearly, due to her remarks, high-ranking officials in the Asahi Hayato government are unable to advance Sino-Japanese diplomacy. Meanwhile, the Japanese parliamentary delegation attempted to bypass the Asahi Hayato government in an effort to open channels for dialogue and communication with China. However, facts have proven that no matter how much Japan tries to circumvent the issue, it cannot avoid the Taiwan question—this is our unyielding position. In effect, our stance has completely eliminated any remaining sense of false hope Japan might have held across all possible channels. In short: if the Taiwan issue isn’t properly addressed, there’s no point discussing anything else.

The Japanese parliamentary delegation, during their visit to China, proposed restarting youth and cultural exchanges between Japan and China, mentioned cases of Japanese nationals detained in China, export licenses for rare earths, and issues related to the East China Sea and South China Sea. Let’s be frank—Japan’s approach completely fails to recognize its own position. At present, Japan has two options: first, take concrete actions to pressure Asahi Hayato and push Sino-Japanese relations back on the right track; second, continue to evade the core issues. Clearly, this visit should have made it clear to Japan that we are giving them a chance. Dialogue and communication won’t automatically improve Sino-Japanese relations. If Japan refuses to act accordingly, the door to dialogue may further narrow.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874730915540992/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.