History is a recounting of wars. Most of the time, they were caused by the control of territories - at enormous costs in lives and resources.

Take Alsace, the modern French region bordering Germany. In the 75 years between 1871 and 1945, it changed hands four times between France and Germany, each involving a major war. When it belonged to Germany, the men had to fight for Germany, when it belonged to France they fought for France.

Even small Switzerland has lost in the past some parts to Italy and France. After World War II, the European Coal and Steel Community, and eventually the European Union were established to prevent further wars. It was a bold, innovative, successful step.

If all countries in the world pressed revanchist claims, we would be in a state of constant war. China has territorial disputes with many of its neighbors. This article doesn't deal with the question whose claims are legally justified. The question is how to deal with competing territorial claims in the nuclear age.

China now has a unique opportunity to give to the world a shining example that it is prepared to find new ways to solve such disputes.

To start with the hottest conflict, why not propose to Japan a joint administration of the Diaoyu Islands, with for instance two governors, a Chinese appointed by Beijing and a Japanese nominated by Tokyo. They would act alternately at intervals of for instance two years, leading a joint administration made up of citizens of both countries.

The non-acting governor would become the deputy of the acting one. The important resources that the seas around the islands may hold could be shared between the two countries according to a key that would be established on the basis of some major parameters such as for instance the respective populations, the size of their economies and maybe others.

Should Japan refuse to give such a reasonable, fair proposition a chance, it would certainly lose the sympathy of the world community. It would be a very difficult process to establish such a new form of political entity that goes beyond traditional nationalism. Whether it would succeed would depend on the sincerity of both countries, their willingness to compromise and to accept that their claims cannot be fully satisfied.

The people that they delegate to negotiate the deal and later those that govern the new entity would have to be open-minded, reasonable, creative, willing and able to work with colleagues from another culture.

The rewards would be a long-term peace around the disputed area, the reestablishment of good relations between the two countries, both sides benefiting from a resumption of smooth economic relations, getting an early access to the resources in the region and avoiding expensive military investments, even a very costly military confrontation.

As a further step, China and Japan could ask the UN to recognize this new entity, thus giving it the political support of the world community. It's worth trying this path. With such an initiative, China would demonstrate to the world that it is ready to be a major international player, contributing a very innovative and reasonable approach to peace and stability in the world.

The author is founder and former CEO of a Swiss consulting company, educated in France, with over 20 years of experience in China. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn