On April 18 and 19, some survivors and retired military generals in the 1965-66 massacres in Indonesia held an unprecedented symposium on the tragedy, marking a rare commemorative event permitted by the Indonesian government for half a century. It is estimated that over 500,000 people, mostly ethnic Chinese, were killed, which was triggered by an abortive coup blamed on the communists.

A few days later, Indonesian President Joko Widodo instructed his government to investigate atrocities that took place during the mass killings. This is the first time the Indonesian government lifted a ban on this painful time in  the country's history and raised a public debate, which have immediately caught global attention.

As for the victims and their relatives, Indonesia should have started to face up to this part of its history long ago. But it is a historical step forward, to the credit of the Indonesian government, that it is revisiting this issue and breaking the long-standing political taboo. Yet there is still a long way to go, and the final results are still uncertain.

There are four reasons that urge Indonesia to change its tone on the ignominious case.

After ending Soeharto's dictatorship in 1998, Indonesia started a shift to democracy and social reconciliation, and the country's policy toward ethnic Chinese has been significantly changed. Indonesian society, especially human rights groups, have never stopped pressuring the government to dig out the truth. Widodo's urge also gives a direct incentive to the investigation. And the well-developed Sino-Indonesian ties have given both sides the resilience to address this history.

It is the responsibility of the Indonesian government to find out the truth of the massacres and ensure the victims and their relatives that justice will be done.

From the Batavia massacre in 1740 to the riots in May 1998, there have been many anti-Chinese campaigns, in which the 1965 massacres and the 1998 riots are the most atrocious. Indonesia must consider why after the 1965 massacres, the ethnic Chinese were, once again, targeted by rioters in 1998. Can the vicious anti-Chinese circle be stopped for good? This should be the real significance of Indonesia's introspection.

Not only Indonesia, but almost the whole of Southeast Asia had a history of anti-China sentiment, which still exists in some countries. Their governments, societies and the ethnic Chinese communities should take this seriously and make joint efforts to address the issue.

The anti-Chinese climate is not only a major hindrance to these countries' ethnic reconciliation and national unity, but also a thorn in their relations with China. It is quite controversial and sensitive about whether and how the Chinese government should respond to the anti-Chinese movements in these countries. Beijing has been dealing with it with enormous prudence.

The majority of ethnic Chinese families have lived in those countries for decades of centuries and are citizens of that country. Although they are not Chinese in legal terms because the Chinese government does not recognize dual nationality, their connections with their motherland based on ancestry and cultural orientation cannot be severed. The overseas Chinese community has been increasingly connected with China since the mainland opened its gate about 40 years ago.

That is why when the ethnic Chinese are persecuted in these countries, public opinion will not allow the Chinese government to stand by and let the atrocities happen. China could easily be dragged into the turmoil.

In 1965, Chinese embassy in Indonesia was ransacked and burned down, which led to a break-off of diplomatic relations between both countries.

For the sake of ethnic Chinese communities as well as the bilateral relations, China sincerely hopes Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries can be more tolerant and open-minded in their ethnic policies. China hopes the ethnic Chinese can be more involved in local societies and seek more friendly common ground with other communities.

In the past 30 years, the Sino-Indonesian relationship has kept a good momentum with more cooperation projects being discussed, such as the "Belt and Road" initiative. The investigation launched by the Indonesian government is without doubt a brave decision, and an indication of confidence with the solidity of the Sino-Indonesian relationship. Once the truth-finding process is started, it won't stop.

Only those who can face up to history can find the truth and draw valuable lessons from it.

The author is a research fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn