Noda writes to Hu in bid to ease tensions

By Staff reporters Source:Global Times Published: 2012-8-29 1:45:04

China and Japan are being urged to mend ties that have soured over intensifying territorial disputes following an incident targeting the Japanese ambassador in Beijing and recent landings by activists from both sides on the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

Both need to act rationally as a worsening diplomatic row between the two biggest economies in Asia could risk undermining regional interests, analysts warned.

In what appears to be the latest effort to ease tensions, a Japanese envoy was reportedly dispatched to deliver a letter from Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday.

Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba said it was a good opportunity to address ties, but declined to elaborate on the contents of the letter. "I believe that we must exchange opinions now on the situation of Japan-China relations, on the situation of the region as a whole, including the Korean peninsula, as well as the global situation," Gemba said, according to AFP.

National broadcaster NHK reported that the letter addressed the territorial dispute over the Diaoyu Islands, and sought to "call on China to act calmly."

The move came after South Korea sent back a letter Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda wrote to his counterpart Lee Myung-bak, in which the Japanese leader protested Lee's high-profile visit to the disputed islets earlier this month.

Geng Xin, deputy director of the Tokyo-based Japan-China Communication Institute said, "A personal letter from top leaders shows good will. Such an exchange will help nurture mutual trust."

However, Geng also struck a cautious tone. "The question is what Japan will do following this letter. The country's credibility will further erode if it insists on previous provocative actions, including the attempt to nationalize the Diaoyu Islands and underscoring the US-Japan military alliance."

The row between China and Japan should be viewed against a larger setting, considering the two countries' historical baggage, the US's role in Asia and rival claims in the South China Sea, which are not likely to be solved by a single letter, said Geng.

Spokesperson for the US Department of State, Victoria Nuland, said on Tuesday during a briefing that Washington is "concerned" about the incident involving the Japanese ambassador "given his diplomatic status," adding that the US has regularly "urged China and Japan to work out the territorial dispute peacefully."

In another development, authorities are investigating reports that the flag of the Japanese ambassador's vehicle was ripped off in Beijing, the foreign ministry spokesman's office told Xinhua on Monday.

It was reported that the Japanese flag on a car carrying the Japanese ambassador Uichiro Niwa was pulled off by an unidentified person in Beijing on Monday afternoon.

The ambassador on Tuesday called it an independent case which should not hinder bilateral ties. Niwa said no major negative impact by the incident would be expected and he seeks a smooth resolution.

Huang Dahui, director of the Center for East Asia Studies at the Renmin University of China, emphasized the economic factors in the Sino-Japanese relations.

"China has been Japan's largest trading partner since 2006. Japan's growing reliance on the Chinese market has made it difficult for the Japanese government to turn completely hostile to China," said Huang, pointing out that the 2010 dispute between the two countries ended after China banned exports of rare minerals and other commodities to Japan.

Separately, Japan's two main opposition parties submitted a censure motion against Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to the House of Councilors late Tuesday. 

The Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito submitted their proposal criticizing Noda for his lack of ruling ability, aiming to press Noda to dissolve parliament and call a general election soon.

 



Posted in: Diplomacy

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