2016年CRI Japan's Sincerity in Improving Bilateral Ties Remains to Be Seen: Chinese FM

 

As part of the Saturday morning session, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi laid out some frank comments about what the Chinese government expects from Japan when it comes to improving ties.

"In recent years, relations between China and Japan have experienced twists and turns and been at a low ebb¹. The reason, in my opinion, is quite clear to Japan. Now, Japan has proposed several times to improve bilateral² relations and expressed the intention of taking the first step. If you come with your sincerity³, then you are welcome. Just as the old Chinese saying goes 'Note a man's words but judge him by his deeds'. Today I am here to listen to the minister's advice on improving the two countries' relations. Meanwhile, I will wait to see whether you do as you say."

Disputes over the Diaoyu Islands, the upgrading of Japan's military status and issues surrounding history continue to be the main stumbling blocks in improving ties.

Last year, as China marked the 70th anniversary of its victory over Japan in the war, the Japanese government passed a new set of security bills, which allows Japanese troops to be deployed⁴ abroad even if Japan itself is not under attack.

This represents a reversal of policy which had existed in Japan since its post-war constitution was drafted after the war to ensure the Japanese military was unable to rise-up again.

Beyond the changes to the military, other remnants of the war over 70-years ago are still haunting the relationship between Japan and China.

In mid-April, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine⁵ in Tokyo.

The Shrine, which honors Japan's war-dead, also enshrines 14 former Japanese leaders who were responsible for launching Japan's all-out assault on China and other parts of Asia.

Tributes or visits to the shrine are considered an insult to countries Japan invaded.

Addressing this issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says a responsible attitude about its past aggression⁶ by the Japanese side will go a long way toward helping⁷ the two sides maintain peace and avoid any future conflicts.

"The China-Japan relationship must be built on the basis of facing up to history, abiding⁸ by promises, strengthening cooperation and not confrontation⁹. I believe and I hope your visit can play a positive role in the actual improvement of relations between China and Japan."

For his part, Fumio Kishidasays he hopes there will be more exchanges between the two nation's senior leadership.

"We are important neighbors. For quite some time, visits between the foreign ministers of China and Japan have been not been taking place, and that is not what we want. I would like to bring our relationship back to the level where our ministers can visit frequently."

Kishida's trip to Beijing is the first by a senior Japanese diplomat¹⁰ to China in some 4 and a half years.

One of the items on his agenda is reportedly to facilitate a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this September during the G8 Summit, which is to be held in the city of Hangzhou.

Beyond improving bilateral ties, Kishida is also being tasked with discussing regional and economic cooperation between China and Japan.

Despite political differences, China and Japan still remain major trading partners.

For CRI, I'm Victor Ning.

1 ebb   

vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态

参考例句：

• The flood and ebb tides alternates with each other.涨潮和落潮交替更迭。
• They swam till the tide began to ebb.他们一直游到开始退潮。

2 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

3 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

5 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

6 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 abiding   

adj.永久的，持久的，不变的

参考例句：

• He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
• He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。

9 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

10 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。