China and Japan had been on good terms for two thousand years until the 1890s, and had maintained friendly relations with each other. From a historical perspective, this is unusual.

This amicable relationship was broken by Japan’s invasion of China in 1894. Between 1937 and 1945, Japan occupied a large area of China, causing huge casualties and deep humiliation to China. The occupation ended with the victory of the Chinese people in the anti-Japanese war in 1945, and since then China has been dedicated to national rejuvenation. Apparently feeling threatened by the rise of China, Japan has frequently harped on about the “China threat”, which has resulted in troubled relations between two countries. To make things worse, Japanese officials have repeatedly visited ancient shrines honoring wartime heroes and stirred up territorial disputes with China.

Japan appears to have no clear understanding of the current world situation and likely future trends. Asian countries are developing fast, and Japan should cherish its relations with its neighbors and make its own contribution to the peace and development of the region.

China pursues the path of peaceful development not only because it has long been a peace-loving nation, but because it has suffered from heinous wars and dire poverty. So it understands only too well the importance of peace. Furthermore, China has a large population, accounting for one fifth of the world total, so it has directed its attention to its own development in order to safeguard the standards of living of its people. Peace is a prerequisite for China’s development. China is also pursuing new win-win international relationships with other countries and endeavoring to maintain friendly relations with its neighbors.

Developing stable bilateral relations is beneficial to the peoples of both countries. Therefore Japan must abide by the four-point agreement it reached with China in November this year, and work to improve bilateral relations.

This article was edited and translated from 《中日两国 两千友好五十恨，难道再扯一百年？》, source: People's Daily Overseas Edition, Author: Ye Xiaowen

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