Tuesday August 15, 2006

Cultural exchange way to mend Sino-Japanese ties

By PAVIN CHACHAVALPONGPUN

ONE of the most talked-about issues in Beijing last week was the ailing relationship between China and Japan.

Bilateral ties have been sliding fast since their diplomatic normalisation in 1972. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where convicted World War II war criminals are honoured along with Japanese war dead, may have served to worsen relations.

But the real cause, as we all suspect, lies in the Sino-Japanese competition for leadership in the wider Asian region.

Putting aside historical baggage and the bewildering factors contributing to the souring of ties, there have been attempts to defrost the icy relationship at the non-governmental level. Last week, Japan hosted the second Beijing-Tokyo Forum – a “track two” avenue where influential figures in politics, the media, business and culture came together to find solutions for improving Sino-Japanese ties.

The annual event, jointly organised by China Daily, Peking University and Japanese think-tank Genron NPO, moved to Tokyo this year after its first meeting in China in 2005. With the theme “Building a New Relationship Oriented to Asia,” the forum is open to ideas and proposals on removing the obstacles to better relations.

Over the years, the China-Japan relationship has become increasingly significant to peace and prosperity in Asia. The region has much to grapple with, ranging from the threat of nuclear proliferation in the Korean peninsula and the Taiwan issue to record oil prices, rising debt levels, surging interest rates, poverty and the risk of bird flu. It is therefore unfortunate that Chinese and Japanese leaders are unable to sit in a room together to chew things over.

Statistically, in 1980, 78% of Japanese people had a positive attitude towards China, but this dropped to only 32% last year. In China, only 15% of the population now feel positively towards Japan. These shocking figures represent an urgent need for the two countries to come to terms with each other to pursue peaceful development.

While resentment is mutually felt between Chinese and Japanese leaders, the Beijing-Tokyo Forum has emerged as a symbol of the common aspirations among the two countries' peoples. About 90 officials and scholars from China and Japan who participated in the event agreed that direct exchanges between both peoples are essential and will serve as a foundation to rebuild trust.

They were cautioned on the possibility that frosty political ties might hamper the two countries' vibrant economic efforts. A main recommendation was to take advantage of the cultural dimension to push bilateral relations forward. Indeed, cultural contact between the two peoples has long been an important element of Sino-Japanese relations.

For example, more Chinese students are studying Japanese as their first foreign language. The forum thus suggested that “public diplomacy” be developed as a new way to invigorate bilateral ties “beyond diplomatic channels,” such as exchanges between non-governmental organisations.

But regrettably, a recent survey showed that only 13% of Japanese respondents had been to China, while as little as 1.2% of the Chinese surveyed had visited Japan. Of all the respondents, about 43% of the Japanese chose not to visit China because of the poor relationship, and 60% of Chinese had no intention of travelling to Japan.

The Japanese government has now decided to invite 1,200 Chinese high school students to Japan this year to stay with local host families, to have the best possible experience of the country. Tokyo hopes that youth exchanges will help promote long-term friendship with China.

Despite this public diplomacy, many still doubt whether Chinese and Japanese leaders are serious about mending ties. Political obstacles and emotional stiffness remain powerful factors that could potentially overshadow efforts at the people-to-people level.

News of Koizumi's upcoming visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on the sensitive anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender today, and the revelation of the secret visit to the controversial war shrine by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the favourite candidate to become the next prime minister, only add complications to the current political stalemate.

More worryingly, this political tension is now being felt throughout the region. The battlefield is no longer limited to North-East Asia. Tension has led to intense competition between China and Japan, as reflected in their “business war” in South-East Asia, the fight for energy in the South China Sea and beyond, and the assertion of soft power to win allies, particularly among their Asean friends.

Thailand's decision to promote the Chinese language in its high schools has made Japan rather uncomfortable. Suddenly, Chinese teachers have arrived in Thailand in large numbers. Similarly, Sino-Myanmar energy cooperation has prodded Tokyo to forge ties with other Asean members, most notably Singapore, in the development of liquefied natural gas.

These examples show how Sino-Japanese rivalry can go far beyond its bilateral context. They also show that the work of track two diplomacy will have to be even more vigorous, given the cool relations at inter-governmental level. – The Nation / Asia News Network

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