editorial
China, Japan must tether the beast of nationalism
Diplomatic ties are unravelling fast, with neither side showing willingness to back down in their territorial dispute
Bilateral ties between China and Japan are in crisis. Neither side is willing to back down from diplomatic assaults that stem from overlapping claims on the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, which Tokyo recently purchased from private owners.
After 40 years of diplomatic relations, the two countries have yet to resolve a history ridden by conflicts that continue to surface every few years but have never been totally resolved.
Coming to terms with the past hasn't been easy for Beijing, which presents itself as the victim of Tokyo's past aggression and wartime atrocities.
The government-controlled Chinese press has been instrumental in pushing this agenda and heightening nationalism among the masses of the communist giant. But painting Japan in a bad light has also made it harder for the Chinese leadership to step down from its position.
The latest spat over the islands has brought a number of bilateral programmes to a standstill and threatens to inflict even greater damage on the economic ties between the two countries. Retreating from the impasse might be the desire of stakeholders on both sides, but the challenge is how to do so without losing face.
The previous phase of bilateral ties between the two countries was defined by development assistance. Today, though, China no longer sees itself as a developing country, but rather as a major power to be reckoned with on the global stage. With this unprecedented confidence has come more bullish foreign policy. Two years ago China surpassed Japan's gross domestic product, making it the world's second-largest economy.
But opening up economically has also undermined Beijing's communist ideals and leadership. An increasing number of ordinary Chinese are speaking out against official misrule, calling for better governance. But that street-level energy has been channelled into militant nationalist sentiment as well. To prevent irreversible damage to its ties with Tokyo, Beijing must stop exploiting anti-Japanese sentiment for political gain.
Focusing blame on Japan does nothing to tackle the deeper woes and challenges facing the leadership in Beijing. China must face up to the sober realisation that its relationship with Japan is important both for its domestic economy and for the stability of East Asia as a whole. Stable ties between Japan and China are good for all of us.
The two economies have become deeply interdependent and both sides need to think about the potential losses should this or any future crisis be allowed to flourish. Japan has invested heavily in China and the current spat threatens the job security of Chinese working for Japanese firms.
In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said, "Japan, under any circumstance, is determined to comply with the principle of making solutions peacefully based on international laws."
One avenue that could lead to peaceful resolution is the International Court of Justice (ICJ). If China is confident that its claim on the islands is solid, it shouldn't object to the idea of seeking help from an independent third party to resolve the issue.
Beijing, however, has been quick to dismiss the idea, saying the dispute should be settled through bilateral talks. But if Beijing does not trust the ICJ, it should say so and explain why.
Recent developments bode ill for a swift resolution of the spat. China has deployed naval vessels to patrol the waters off the disputed islands and continues to allow violent anti-Japanese demonstrations. This trend must be reversed. Both sides need to take a step back before more damage - diplomatic and economic - occurs.
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