April 16, 2005

Recently the Chinese authority has allowed some people to hold a series of demonstrations against Japan in major cities such as Beijing, shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and so on. It also connived at some demonstrators' sabotage to the facilities of Japanese diplomatic establishments and Japanese ventures in China. A few Japanese expatriates were even beaten. All these are transgressions of international laws and rules. Even after the Japanese government lodged a protest with the Chinese government, some Chinese leader not only did not make an apology, but also instead gave a remark that in fact encouraged the Chinese demonstrators. The irresponsible attitude and practice of the Chinese government have evoked concerns from the international community. (boxun.com)

The World War II has ended for sixty years. During these sixty years, Japan never invaded any country, nor is there any sign that Japan will invade other countries. The political and constitutional reforms in Japan after the World War II have ensured Japan to become a democratic and peaceful nation. During these sixty years, Japan has consistently played a positive role in the international arena, which supports the modernization of many countries including China. The current Japanese people and government should not be responsible for the mistakes in which made two generations ago.

Some Japanese history textbook for public middle school has some descriptions on the World War II that incurred disagreements from several Asian countries. Discussions about the history knowledge can be undertaken based on the freedom of thinking and expression. But in a democratic country with rule of law, any government bodies have no right to compile any history textbook. The right of the compilation lies among civil society.

Some Japanese politicians sometimes go to worship at the Yasukuni Shrine. This is a personal behavior and national custom, not a governmental act or national policy. The worship may be debated under the premise of equality. But the Japanese politicians who worshiped at the Yasukuni Shrine never expressed that the purpose of the worship was to overthrow the conclusion against Japan in the World War II and to repeat the mistakes that Japan made sixty years ago.

So the main cause of the friction between China and Japan is not these superficial " history problems" .

The substantive cause of the friction is that Japan is bidding for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The United States government has explicitly indicated its support to the Japan¡¯s effort. The British and French governments have also showed their support to the Japan¡¯s effort. But the Chinese government is unhappy about the bid and the supports.

Japan assumes one-fifth of the total UN member state dues. It has significantly contributed in the first Gulf War, the recent reconstructions of Afghan and Iraq. Over the past decades Japan has always been a rule-abiding UN member state with an increasingly important role. It¡¯s a fair demand that Japan be a permanent member in the UN Security Council. It will become a reality. The Chinese government should realize and be prepared for this.

The real reason that China is unhappy about Japan¡¯s bid for the UN Security Council permanent membership is that China does not want to see Japan to become a main balancing power in Asia. But the Chinese government should objectively evaluate the two countries¡¯ strength and potential. Although China has made tremendous growth economically and militarily in the recent years, Japan is still the largest economic entity in Asia and the second largest economic entity in the world and still the only real developed country in Asia. The US-Japan ally is the cornerstone of US¡¯ Asian strategy and is also the mainstay of Japan¡¯s security strategy. This ally is moving forward in terms of width and depth. Under the framework that the US holds a leading role in Asia, Japan¡¯s economic and defense abilities and US-Japan ally will definitely make Japan a main balancing power in Asia.

What¡¯s remarkable is that as an important member of the democratic nations, Japan¡¯s becoming a main balancing power in Asia will contribute to the formation of ¡°a balance of power that favors freedom¡±, to the peace and stability in Asia and the world, to the reformists and the international voice inside China, to properly handling of the North Korea nuclear crisis and the Taiwan Strait dispute and other hot issues.

The Chinese government needs to understand that on the world stage the most effective right to speak is to have strong strength and to make international rules, but not to use some diplomatic tricks and instigate some people. China does not have enough strength and the power making international rules for domination of Asia. Therefore the Chinese government should take a responsible approach in handling its relationship with Japan. China and Japan would arise respectively as two main balancing powers in Asia.

In the long run, China ought to have its political reform to change its foreign policy: from an opponent of the democratic nations to become a member of the democratic community.

END

(The writer is a political activist in the United States from China.) (boxun.com)