December 13 is a day of a profound memory in Chinese history. On Dec. 13, 1937, Nanjing fell to the hands of Japanese troops who launched a ruthless massacre, known as the infamy Nanjing Massacre, in which more than 300,000 Chinese civilians were killed. The extremely-brutal tragedy has left people with an enduring, broken-hearted grief, and calls on people to look squarely at history and value peace all the more.
The year 2007 is a relatively sensitive one in Sino-Japanese ties. It is not only the 35th anniversary of normalization of Sino-Japanese ties, but the 70th anniversary of the Lugouqiao Incident, staged at Lugou Bridge near Beiping (now Beijing) on 7th July 1937 by Japanese invaders in their attempt to control the whole of China, which marked the start of China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the notorious Nanjing Massacre. Moreover, it is a year in which both nations are exerting the utmost to understand each other after years of reverberation and maneuvering.
Against this big backdrop, the correct treatment of history can help people to cope with contradictions and disputes existing between the two nations in a more sober-minded and reasonable way and formulate a scientific diplomatic strategy and policies objectively.
China and Japan have had a history of exchanges for more than 2,000 years and, in view of "decrees, rules and regulations" Japan had implemented from the seventh to tenth century, Chinese civilization has exerted a far-reaching impact on Japan's politics, economics and culture. This constitutes the bond of civilization and retains the continuity of bilateral friendly contacts, and also the historical and cultural basis for Sino-Japanese relations to retrieve from an impasse.
In the very process of spiraling historical development, however, it is pretty hard to shun twists, turns and even retrogression. The Japanese "Continent Policy" with its spearhead directed against China appeared in an embryonic form as early as the 16th century and, in early 19th century, a whole set concept relating to the "Continent Policy" was set forth, and turned into reality a century later.
The abyss of untold suffering wrought by the intruding Japanese forces greatly harmed the national feelings of the Chinese and openly trampted upon the international justice and conscience and innate ability of the humankind. On the issue of sex slaves (or comfort women) during World War II, the United States, Netherlands and Canada have, since early this year, seriously urged Japan to draw lessons and handle the historic reality squarely in an appropriate manner.
Meanwhile, a U.S. documentary on the rape of Nanjing is being shown worldwide to inform or acquaint people with atrocities committed by Japanese militarism in the war of aggression against China.. In addition, film producers from China, the U.S. and Britain have also started to shoot another new movie. With an iron-clad proof and verdicts passed by the international community long ago, some Japanese still allege that some photos taken depicting the massacre are false, and not so many people lost lives in the massacre. Such a negation to cover historical evidence up cannot but draw more extensive, unanimous denunciations from the global community
China is dedicated to the road of peaceful development with a high sense of responsibility for social ethics or moral criteria. With the passage of time, its mode of development has been recognized by its neighborers and most major powers around the world. China and Japan are great, important neighbors and both nations are important countries in Asia and in the world at large. The stability of their bilateral relations is of vital significance to peace and prosperity in the region.
At present, leaders of both nations have defined the strategically reciprocal relations as the basic principle to orient their future relationships. Furthermore, the Fukuda cabinet has initiated the promotion of diplomacy toward Asia that will make a resonance and stability to ease anxiety on the "value-based diplomacy" that Japan has pursued, and the establishment of Sino-Japanese strategically reciprocal ties is entering into a substantial phase.
Again against this background, a long-term, scientific approach with a farsighted strategic eyesight is needed either to handle issues left over by history or to conduct "security cooperation." Only in this way, can the lofty goal of peaceful co-existence, friendship to expand and endure from generation to generations, mutual cooperation and common development can surely be accomplished.
By Wang Bing, a noted researcher at the Institute of Japanese Studies affiliated the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and translated by People's Daily Online
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