Commentary: Pro-Taiwan pose mars Sino-Japanese ties ( 2003-07-26 08:41) (China Daily)
China and Japan should make joint efforts to advance the development of
bilateral ties away from the influence of the Taiwan question.
Since the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), assumed power
in Taiwan in 2000, the ties between the island and Japan have undergone some
eye-catching changes.
In May 2001, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party established an
organization jointly composed by so-called friendly Congress members. Ever since
then, the Japanese Congress has started a wave of visits to Taiwan.
In response, Taiwan's "presidential palace'' set up a special working group
in charge of affairs towards Japan.
Later in August, the DPP, to practice both sides' consensus to establish new
exchange channels between Taiwan and Japan, set up a Taiwan-Japanese friendship
association.
In March 2002, the newly elected Taiwan "foreign minister'' Eugene Chien put
forward a five- point suggestion for the island's Japanese policy.
He suggested that the island should promote mutual high-level visits with
Japan, strengthen official contacts, set up security dialogue mechanisms,
promote the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) and push for Japan's backing
of Taiwan's efforts to enter international organizations.
In response to its motherland's rapid economic growth Taiwan authorities
trumpeted their idea that Japan and Taiwan should reach an FTA as soon as
possible.
Taiwan "president'' Chen Shui-bian, in an interview with Japan's Yomiuri
Shimbun Newspaper in May 2002, said Japan, the United States and Taiwan should
consider signing an FTA in the Asia-Pacific region, to ensure security and peace
across the Taiwan Straits and the whole region.
The Japanese Government has also reversed its consistent policy of supporting
one-China stance and politically supported Taiwan in the international arena.
On May 14, 2002, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda announced
support for Taiwan's entry into the World Health Organization.
Besides Yasuo, many other senior Japanese officials have expressed support
for Taiwan and advocated visiting the island in an official capacity.
The Taiwan authorities have also sent, on many occasions, a message to Japan
maintaining that the status quo across the Taiwan Straits conforms to the
interests of Japan and the United States.
The continuous advancement of Japan-Taiwan ties have been decided, to a large
extent, by their unceasing development of economic and trade relations.
In 2000, their trade volume amounted to US$55.2 billion, more than 39 times
that of 1972, when Japan cut off its "diplomatic relations'' with Taiwan.
So far, Taiwan has become Japan's fourth largest trading partner and an
important base for the overseas development of Japanese enterprises. And Japan
is Taiwan's third largest exporter and its largest source of imports.
The huge economic interests the two sides have in each other has significant
influence upon their political relationship.
During Lee Teng-hui's term of "presidency,'' the Taiwan authorities began
their diplomatic offensive towards Japan. When the DPP took office, the momentum
was further strengthened.
The Taiwan authorities with Chen at the core, which never accepted the
one-China policy, even concede to Japan on issues relevant to Chinese national
sentiment and historical facts.
For instance, at the time when the central government was protesting Japanese
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to Yasuhuni Shrine in April 2002, it
issued a different voice with its motherland by saying the island will be more
tolerant.
Later in September, Lee even said that the Diaoyu Islands belonged to Japan's
inherent territory and China lacked grounds to claim ownership.
Some Taiwan officials even openly said, from the perspective of Taiwan's
security guarantee, the island is more assured if Japan -- with the backing of a
militarily strong United States -- possesses the islands.
Japan's policy towards Taiwan has been based upon a consideration of its own
strategic interest at international arena.
China's rapid economic development and improvement of its comprehensive
national strength in recent years, which, regarded by some Japanese politicians
as a threat, has deepened Japan's psychology of balancing the Chinese mainland's
influence and strengthening its own security by taking advantage of Taiwan.
However, despite some uncertainties on the Taiwan question, there is no need
to be too pessimistic about the prospect of Sino-Japanese relations.
So far, the status quo of Japan' ties with the Chinese mainland and Taiwan
have not changed and will not if the mainland can maintain its correct way of
development.
There is no much possibility for Japan to excessively strengthen ties with
the island by sacrificing its substantial interests on Chinese the mainland.
To reduce the influence of the Taiwan question and create a better prospect
for Sino-Japanese ties, China and Japan should make active efforts to overcome
problems hampering the development of ties.
The two countries should closely cling to the policy of "learning from
history and facing to the future.'' For this, Japan should fully understand
China's sentiment and respect its positions on historic issues.
Japan should discard its psychology of benefiting from balancing the island
off against the mainland.
It should also correctly deal with the rise of China and overcome its
unnecessary psychological unbalance.
By Lu Xijun
The author is an associate professor at the University of Shimane in
Japan.
