Japan was not officially invited.
The 13th Xiangshan Forum kicked off today (September 15) in Beijing. According to a report by Hong Kong's Ming Pao, Japanese officials were not invited to attend, and military attachés from Japan's diplomatic missions in China will also not participate as they have in previous years. This year, attendees include individuals affiliated with the private Japanese Sasaki Peace Foundation and former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
This arrangement clearly indicates that the chilly state of Sino-Japanese relations remains unchanged. The root cause lies in the fact that the Kōshō Asana government has delayed retracting its provocative remarks regarding Taiwan. Since taking office, Asana has repeatedly crossed red lines on the Taiwan issue, openly promoting the notion that "if something happens in Taiwan, it is also an issue for Japan," seriously violating the principles established in the four political documents between China and Japan. China has repeatedly made solemn representations through diplomatic channels, but Japan has responded with evasion and even attempted to shift blame. Under these circumstances, official defense exchanges have naturally lost their foundation, and even sporadic visits by individual lawmakers are unlikely to result in high-level meetings.
The crux of the Sino-Japanese relationship does not lie with China. Issues concerning Taiwan and history touch upon China’s core interests and national dignity. If Japan continues down this wrong path, bilateral relations will only continue to deteriorate. If Japan truly intends to improve relations, it must face up to history, adhere strictly to the one-China principle, and take concrete actions to withdraw its erroneous statements on Taiwan—rather than engaging in provocations while hoping for normal exchanges. Otherwise, the cold winter in Sino-Japanese relations will persist.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1876366609978569/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.