Martyrs memorial boosts cross-Straits ties

This year Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration has been taking even more provocative actions against China, the latest being the lifting of the ban on Japan's right to collective self-defense. This year also marks the 90th anniversary of the lecture on Asianism by China's first republican leader Sun Yat-sen in Kobe, Japan, and I believe Japan can learn a lot from some of his viewpoints and conclusions, especially regarding its recent inconsiderate moves.

What Sun proposed is that Japan should be the backbone of the oriental "kingcraft" featuring a rule by benevolence, instead of being a surrogate of Western hegemony.

However, Tokyo chose the latter which led to the deaths of millions of innocents, including its own people, during its militarist expansion in Asia before 1945. Today Japan once again finds itself at the similarly dangerous crossroads.

But at the moment, it would be rather difficult to combine cross-Straits efforts to oppose Japanese right-wing moves, because Taiwan is locked in a dispute over unification and "independence", and not all local residents are willing to act against Japan's provocations.

The mainland and Taiwan both could and should pressure Japan to own up to the crimes it committed in China before and during World War II and apologize for them. However, because of Taiwan's close ties with the United States, it will be difficult for Taiwan to take joint actions with the mainland against Japan.

Therefore, the peaceful cross-Straits reunification should come first, because without that it is impossible for the mainland and Taiwan to take strong joint actions against Japan's provocations.

Moreover, no party involved in disputes such as the one over the Diaoyu Islands should resort to violence regardless of its advanced military power. Peaceful dialogue between China and Japan is the best way to resolve the disputes; military clashes will only lead to a lose-lose situation.

The author is a professor at Chinese Culture University in Taipei and former chairman of party history committee of Kuomintang central committee.