Severing ties with Abe an applaudable step

Source:Global Times Published: 2014-1-2 0:03:01

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Qin Gang said Monday that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has himself shut the door on Chinese leaders, the Chinese people will not welcome him, and Chinese leaders will not have any dialogue with him.

Abe's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, where Class-A war criminals are honored, took place after rounds of discussions over the Yasukuni issue in East Asia and the international community at large. Therefore Abe's Yasukuni visit was even worse than those paid by some former Japanese leaders including Junichiro Koizumi. Abe has challenged not only the post-war Tokyo Trials, and thus the national dignity of China and South Korea, but also crossed a red line in global consensus on Japan's historical issue.

Some have interpreted Beijing's stance as severing ties with Abe, which will be likely. Abe might find responses from Beijing and other countries unexpected. China's attitude will be a blow to him.

Sino-Japanese relations will drift along without interaction between leaders from both sides. China should differentiate Abe's forces with the general Japanese public. The target should be Abe himself, and some Japanese forces supporting his visit and denying World War II history.

Some Chinese propose strengthening Abe bashing. We have to point out that it is unlikely that voices from the Chinese media could be delivered to Japan without being distorted or misinterpreted. Currently it's more feasible to boost self-reflection within Japanese public opinion, and to boost criticism upon the Abe government from the international community.

China's determined diplomatic countermeasures aiming at these objectives will prove effective. Public opinion across the world will look squarely at Beijing's attitude. The Yasukuni visit will end up a shame that Abe brings to his country.

China has more cards to play against the Abe administration, including downgrading diplomatic ties with Japan when necessary. It will bring a strong political shock, which will primarily exert pressure on Abe himself. Within China, there is increasing social consensus of accepting a long-term cooling in China-Japan relations. This will expedite China's further strategy against Japan, and gradually accumulate the Abe forces' despair.

South Korea is important to China in this process. At the moment, Seoul's response seems not as strong as Beijing's. South Korea may continue to take an opportunist attitude between China and Japan.

Our expectations should not be too high, but should consolidate a unified anti-Japanese front over the Yasukuni issue.

Many ASEAN states were victims of Japanese aggression during World War II. But currently they focus more on pragmatic interests than on historical issues.

China needs to boost their attitude adjustment. It is an illusion that Abe can be easily subdued. But his reputation will be severely tainted in the international community.

Posted in: Observer

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