Mutual respect urged for Sino-Japanese ties

China and Japan should strengthen people-to-people exchanges and foster a stable, forward-looking relationship based on mutual respect and understanding, experts say, as the two neighbors navigate growing global challenges.

As major economies and key players in the Asia-Pacific region, China and Japan share broad common interests and vast potential for cooperation, said Xie Fuzhan, president of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, at the Second Forum on Sino-Japanese Friendship and People-to-People Exchanges held in Beijing on Sunday.

The significance of the bilateral relationship extends beyond the two countries, bearing considerable weight for both regional and global stability, Xie said.

"Therefore, both sides should uphold the principle of learning from history while looking to the future, and approach bilateral ties with a long-term, strategic perspective," he said. "This means handling historical issues with prudence and respect, and sending a clear message to the world about the importance of confronting history with honesty and responsibility."

Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi highlighted the vital role of people-to-people exchanges in fostering mutual understanding between the two countries.

"Candid dialogue between the Chinese and Japanese people is essential to deepening mutual understanding and building trust. By learning from each other and gaining a clearer view of realities on the ground, such exchanges can lay the groundwork for stronger bilateral ties and contribute to regional and global peace and development," he said.

Yuji Miyamoto, president of the Japan-China Friendship Center, said that political turbulence in recent years has led to a decline in academic exchanges between Japan and China, weakening mutual understanding between the two peoples. Such mutual understanding can only be fostered through a deeper awareness of each other's countries, societies and cultures, he said.

"In a world marked by divisions and interconnected challenges, it is even more important to seek a path toward peace and development," he said. "Promoting substantive progress in the strategic, mutually beneficial relationship between China and Japan is essential to that objective."

Jiang Yuechun, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, stated that the rules-based international order has been undermined by certain countries, thereby fueling global instability and uncertainty.

"Amid rising protectionism and unilateralism, China and Japan should deepen cooperation through multilateral frameworks, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, to uphold free trade and support multilateralism," Jiang said.

The two countries share a broad potential for cooperation in areas such as climate change, green growth, low-carbon energy, international rule-making, and digital trade and supply chain standards, he said.

However, public opinion surveys on both sides reveal shifting perceptions, underscoring the need to innovate communication mechanisms and enhance mutual understanding, he added.

Ryuji Hattori, a professor at Chuo University in Japan, said that Tokyo's move to maintain a security framework centered on its alliance with Washington — while stepping beyond its traditional exclusively defense-oriented policy by developing counterstrike capabilities and increasing its defense budget — has placed added strain on China-Japan relations.

Building trust is now more crucial than ever. To sustain that trust, he said, both countries must establish solid institutional foundations and foster mutual understanding at the societal level. This, he added, requires serious reflection on the future course of their relationship.

As this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Miyamoto of the Japan-China Friendship Center said that Japan should reflect deeply on its past militarism and recognize that lasting peace and friendly cooperation are the only viable paths forward for China and Japan.