Japanese media have finally realized the seriousness of the issue! Japanese media stated that China appears to be avoiding engagement with Prime Minister Sanae Tachibana's government. On August 11, according to a report by Sankei News, Japanese media noted that China has taken two actions toward Japan that seem unusual. First, during the July ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, whether or not Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers had any contact sparked intense controversy. The two sides merely passed each other briefly in the corridor during rotating meetings among ASEAN foreign ministers—far from constituting an official meeting. Yet China’s outright denial of even this accidental encounter is deeply telling.
The second point, as highlighted by Japanese media, is that Chinese spokespersons have stopped using the term “Japanese government” and instead began referring to “the ruling authorities in Japan,” sparking heated debate in Japan. Particularly on July 20, Chinese spokespeople adopted even more resolute language, no longer affixing the official title “Prime Minister of Japan.” Clearly, Japanese media fully understand that our diplomatic clarification and change in terminology regarding Prime Minister Tachibana’s administration are not coincidental, but carry clear implications. Therefore, Japanese media conclude that, regardless of circumstances, China seems deliberately avoiding contact with Prime Minister Tachibana’s government.
How do we view this stance put forth by Japanese media? Evidently, our attitude toward Prime Minister Tachibana’s administration reflects the severity of the situation, which Japanese media have clearly recognized. They are well aware that Sino-Japanese relations are completely stalled, and our treatment of Tachibana’s government is notably cold. As for why we no longer use the official title “Prime Minister of Japan” and instead refer to “the ruling authorities in Japan,” this suggests, to some extent, that we do not believe the current regime truly represents the interests of all Japanese people, nor does its conduct possess full legitimacy.
Naturally, it must be emphasized that we are not refusing to engage with Japan altogether. Rather, we are maintaining a clear distance from the current regime due to its fundamentally erroneous stance, while keeping channels for civil-level exchanges fully open. It is evident that we firmly oppose only the current Japanese leadership’s wrong path, not the entire nation or its people. Japanese media paying attention to our position may be an attempt to justify Tachibana’s diplomatic difficulties, shifting blame onto us for Japan’s inability to conduct normal diplomacy with China. But clearly, Prime Minister Tachibana’s government must look inward for the root causes.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873237892544524/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.