Japan should adjust its policy on disputed islands and start dialogue with China and the US to increase strategic trust

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan, but the bilateral relationship still faces serious difficulties.

At the annual Beijing-Tokyo Forum co-organized recently by China Daily and Japan's Genron NPO, participants from the two sides failed to reach a consensus on the two most prominent issues that sour relations between the two countries, namely the territorial dispute in the East China Sea and Japan's historical aggression. Worse, according to an opinion poll conducted by China Daily and Genron NPO in August, more than 90 percent of Chinese and Japanese people have negative feelings toward the other, a new record low.

Masato Kitera, Japanese Ambassador to China makes a speech at the ninth Beijing-Tokyo Forum in Beijing, Oct 26, 2013. [Photo by Feng Yongbin / chinadaily.com.cn]

Over the past three years, the relationship between China and Japan has become the trickiest part of the two countries' diplomacy. Mutual misunderstanding and enflamed "emotions " have undoubtedly played an important role in damaging their relationship, but these are not the root cause. There are several intertwined structural and cyclical factors that cause the frequent rifts between them, and both sides should look at the situation objectively.

From a wider perspective, it will be seen that the intensified frictions are due to the profound changes taking place in state-to-state relations in an era of globalization and informatization, and the changing balance of power in the Asia-Pacific and the world. Both countries are also undergoing a revival process and both are faced with the pressures of domestic transformation and structural adjustment.

There have been signs recently that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is adjusting his administration's diplomacy, as he has refrained from delivering provocative remarks about historical issues and revising the pacifist constitution and instead called for dialogue with Beijing. But he is only making this adjustment because of diplomatic pressure from Washington and the need to win over international public opinion. It is a pragmatic and opportunistic adjustment, rather than an adjustment based on any deep understanding of the changing times and the strategic foundation for cooperation between Japan and China.

And while showing greater verbal restraint, Abe and his Cabinet are accelerating the Japan's military build-up and there are signs that it is making the transition from precaution to confrontation with regard China.

When China and Japan signed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship 35 years ago, they were faced with a common threat from the Soviet Union. It was this common threat that propelled their engagement and cooperation. Now, despite the disappearance of this common threat with the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, their common interests in maintaining regional stability and prosperity and responding effectively to non-traditional security issues have increased substantially. This should have given new strategic impetus to developing stronger cooperation, and the two countries need to increase their awareness of this.

Moreover, the strategic importance of stable relations is reflected not only in their constructive aspects, but also in their disruptive aspects. That is to say if the China-Japan relationship breaks down, neither can afford to bear the strategic cost.

To break through the stalemate in relations and push bilateral ties back onto a positive track, the key in the near term is to enhance cooperation, reduce confrontation, and properly handle the issues in bilateral relations. It would be advisable to promote cooperation on some energy saving and environmental protection projects, so the two peoples can focus more on the overall advantages and benefits of better China-Japan relations. This would create a more conducive public opinion environment for the improvement of relations.

Meanwhile, the two countries should step up negotiations to establish a maritime crisis management and control mechanism in a bid to prevent inadvertent clashes in the East China Sea.

However, the premise underlying any efforts and measures to improve relations, including high-level dialogue, is that the Abe Cabinet change its current rigid insistence on "no dispute over the islands and no room for negotiations", and make due adjustments to allow talks for a solution to be found.

Japan's tough moves have sent the China-Japan relationship into a period of strategic collision and contradictions and the situation has come to a crossroads. The future development of the China-Japan relationship will have a bearing not only on the fate of the two countries, but also the future of the Asia-Pacific and the world.

In view of this, the two sides should consider promoting the establishment of a new model of relations. First, a top-level design for China-Japan relations needs to be established and clear objectives need to be set, with policy paths and institutional guarantees to achieve these objectives. Second, trilateral strategic dialogue among China, the United States and Japan should be promoted. The key to the region's future strategic and security situation is whether the US-Japan alliance can live in harmony and integrate with other powers and blocs in the Asia-Pacific.

Now Japan's relationship with China is in the process of change, so is its relationship with the US. There are still uncertainties concerning trilateral relations in the future.

China's rise in recent years has prompted Japan to snuggle up to the US. But in the context of deepening China-US coordination and cooperation and their joint efforts to build a new type of great-power relations, the inherent problems of the Japan-US alliance have become more prominent. This shows the lack of strategic mutual trust between Japan and the US.

To this end, it is imperative that China, the US and Japan engage in dialogue to increase strategic mutual trust, manage their relations and add more strategic certainty to the region's future.