30 Years Sino-Japan Relations in Retrospect

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, September 28, 2002

30 Years Sino-Japan Relations in Retrospect

This year marks the 30th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan since 1972. The two countries have made significant progress ahead in the process of eliminating interference with fruitful achievements made by both sides in various fields.

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Jiang calls for lasting Sino-Japanese friendship

PD reporter: This year marks the 30th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan since 1972, could you please brief the progress made in Sino-Japan ties?

International Weekly: over the past 30 years, we've traveled over a road though somewhat rugged, yet friendly cooperation is in general the mainstream. The two countries have made significant progress ahead in the process of eliminating interference with fruitful achievements made by both sides in various fields.

PD reporter: the two countries have made unremitting efforts in promoting friendly ties. We also saw Japanese people and social celebrities seek chances to enhance friendly relations. For this, we should never forget them.

International Weekly: yes, the Japan-China Friendly Association, which was established in the month when New China was founded, organized many activities in commemoration of the friendship between the two countries. In order to express Japan's apology for the invasion of China in the past, the association organized members to China to plant trees in Nanjing since 1986 to mourn the victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

Beijing Gala Marks Normalization Anniversary of Sino-Japanese Ties

Many others also contributed a lot to Sino-Japan friendly relations.

PD Reporter: What is the progress made in economic field between the two countries since the normalization of the ties?

International Weekly: over the past 30 years, great progress has been made by two countries with multifarious exchanges conducted between the two countries including trade, service, technology, mutual direct investment, financial cooperation, environmental protection, aid from Japanese government, economic knowledge exchange and harmonization of mutual policies and some others.

In trade, the Sino-Japanese trade volume increased to 87.75 billion US dollars in 2001 from the 1.04 billion US dollars in 1972, indicating China has become Japan's second largest trade partner.

Major products exports to Japan are textiles and some consumer durable, while Japan's exports to China are the hi-tech products.

In direct investment, Japan has become the second largest direct investor to China next only to the US. By the end of last July, Japanese government promised China a loan of 2829.2 billion yen in total.

PD reporter: The Sino-Japan relationship also indicates that there exists a strong complementarity and mutual need in the development of economy between the two countries, what significance does the development mean to us?

International Weekly: from a historical point of view, just as Zhou Enlai, the late premier said that "from agriculture China, industry Japan" to "industry China, industry Japan", Only when China is industrialized can the peaceful existence and common prosperity be achieved.

With development of China's industrialization, despite the two countries are rivals in some industries, but the trade between the two sides are not narrowing, it is widening.

A great number of facts have shown that the development of Sino-Japan economic ties are conducive to the development of production forces, beneficial to cultural exchanges and to the mutual benefits and interests of the two peoples.

The Sino-Japan economic ties are the representatives of economic globalization in especially East Asia, for the economic ties constitute an important part of the region's economy.

PD report: just as said the achievements are hard to come by, so we should treasure our friendship. However, in the meanwhile, we should not ignore some problems existing between the two countries, so what we have to do for the future?

International Weekly: One important thing that we must highlight is that we should enhance mutual understanding and trust for it is a long process and needs to be cultivated little by little.

In view of the future, one notable problem we are facing is that the two countries need further cooperation in various fields with both sides to play a bigger role in the stabilization and prosperity of East Asia.

At the turn of the century, leaders of the two countries also pointed out that the two sides should be dedicated to peace and development and friendly cooperation.

We believe that as long as the two sides abide by principles set by the two countries and make concerted efforts, we will overcome any difficulty ahead, greatly promote sound development of the relations between the two countries.

By PD Online Staff Li Yan

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