AsiaNet 76011

長いトンネルを抜けた中日関係、光あふれる未来に期待

王暁輝　中国網編集長

【北京2018年10月29日PR Newswire】

　今年の10月中旬に開かれた北京‐東京フォーラムにおいて、小倉和夫元駐フランス大使は乾杯の音頭を取り、中国の成語「欣欣向栄」で中日関係の未来を例えた。これは単なる乾杯の音頭ではなく、日本の識者の中日友好関係への熱い期待を反映している。

　10年弱の「氷河期」を終え、中日関係は2018年についに転換期を迎えた。李克強総理が5月上旬に訪日し、日本の安倍晋三首相が10月下旬に訪中した。日本の首相の中国公式訪問は7年ぶり。中日のハイレベル相互訪問の再開は、両国関係を再び好転させる「リターンキー」を押したようなものとされている。この上なく適切な比喩だ。

　安倍首相の訪中には、時期的に3つの「偶然の一致」がある。まずは中日平和友好条約締結40周年で、次に中国の改革開放40周年で、それから中米貿易摩擦のエスカレートによる世界構造の新たな変化だ。

　「偶然の一致」とは、筆者が文章に色を添えるための誇張に過ぎない。英国の詩人ポープが言ったように、すべての偶然は定められた必然だ。安倍氏の訪中、中日関係の改善の裏には、国際情勢の発展・変化の必然的な論理が存在する。

　毛沢東、周恩来、鄧小平、田中角栄、福田赳夫ら中日両国の古い世代の指導者は40年以上前、類まれな政治の勇気と知恵により、戦後の非友好・非交流という両国の局面を終わらせた。中日国交正常化を実現し、中日関係を平和と協力の軌道に戻した。中日平和友好条約の締結は、アジアと世界の平和に対する貢献であり、中国の改革開放に向け良好な外部環境を形成した。条約締結から2カ月後、中国共産党第十一期中央委員会第三回全体会議が開かれた。中国の改革開放の扉が正式に開かれた。

　中日両国の貿易額は1978年の40億ドルから、40年後の今日の3000億ドルに拡大した。人員往来も延べ数万人から今日の延べ1000万人に増加した。改革開放により中国の経済が急成長し、世界2位の経済国に飛躍し、新時代の中日関係の基礎を築いた。中米及び中日関係の改善がなければ、中国の改革開放には良好な国際環境が備わらず、今日の成果を得られなかったと言える。同じく、改革開放による経済発展と国際的な地位の向上がなければ、中国も日本の真の協力パートナー、競争相手になることはなかった。

　安倍氏の訪中は、国際環境の新たな変化と重なった。トランプ米大統領は就任以降、「米国ファースト」を口実に保護貿易主義を推進し、一国主義に取り組んだ。既存の多国間協力枠組み、国際経済秩序、国際関係に大きな衝撃と損失をもたらした。中国は40年の発展を踏まえた上で、改革深化を継続し、開放を拡大しなければならない。そのためには一国主義と保護貿易主義に断固反対する必要がある。原材料を輸入し、製品に加工し輸出することを特色とする経済構造により、日本は一国主義と保護貿易主義をいっそう受け入れられない立場だ。

　領土・歴史問題があり、中日双方の齟齬が絶えない。しかし脱グローバル化の流れと保護貿易主義が国際秩序にもたらす脅威、両国関係の大方向や未来と比べてどちらが重要かを、中日両国民と政府はよく理解している。歴史と比べれば、未来のほうが大きい。これは安倍氏の訪中、中日関係の改善が実現された真の理由だ。

　中日関係に転機が訪れたが、これは中国にとっても日本にとっても得難いチャンスだ。双方は中日関係を低迷期から一日も早く脱却させ、正常な発展の軌道に戻すよう取り組むべきだ。中日関係改善の重要な意義については、次のいくつかの点から理解することができる。

　（一）中日関係は単なる二国間関係ではない。中国と日本はいずれもアジアの重要な国であり、世界2・3位の経済国でもある。アジア太平洋及び世界の事業において、共に重要な力を発揮している。これほどのウエートを占める両国が対立すれば、アジアの調和と安寧に影響を及ぼし、さらには世界の平和と発展にも影響を及ぼす。そのため中日関係の適切な処理は非常に重要であり、その意義は二国間の範疇を超えている。

　（二）互恵とウィンウィンは、高い将来性を持つ。双方が競争相手からより良い協力パートナーになれば、市場と技術の相互補完を基礎とし、第三国市場での協力など協力範囲をさらに拡大できる。中国には高い加工・製造能力があり、日本には先進的な管理能力と科学技術がある。国際市場で相まみえれば、競争は不可避だ。あくまでも真っ向から対立しようとすれば、共倒れになることは間違いない。双方の企業が損失を被るばかりか、サービスの水準と質を落とすことになる。安倍氏は今回、経済界の大規模な代表団を率いて訪中し、さらに中日第三国市場協力フォーラムに出席する。これは双方がこれについて、共通認識を持つことを意味する。

　（三）共に保護貿易主義に反対し、自由貿易体制と世界貿易機関のルールを守る。米国は近年、国際事業から「脱退」しながら、一国主義と保護貿易主義を推進している。既存の国際貿易秩序に衝撃をもたらし、中国と日本の利益を損ねるばかりか、国際関係及び世界構造をかき乱している。中国と日本は多国間貿易体制の受益者・保護者であり、手を結び保護貿易主義に反対し、中日韓自由貿易協定と多国間枠組みの推進を通じ、開放的な世界経済大勢を共に構築・維持する完全な理由を持つ。

　（四）中日の間には2000年以上の交流の歴史があり、戦争がもたらした痛ましい教訓もある。両国関係は複雑かつ特殊であり、永遠に順風満帆とはいかない。双方はより長期的な視野と広い胸襟により中日関係を見据え、理性的かつ現実的な態度で問題を処理するべきだ。感情任せになったり、一時的に解決できない問題にこだわるべきではない。こうすることで初めて中日関係を新たな段階まで発展させ、両国民の福祉、世界の平和・発展を促進することができる。

長いトンネルを抜けた中日関係、光あふれる未来に期待

http://japanese.china.org.cn/jp/txt/2018-10/27/content_68437395.htm

（日本語リリース：クライアント提供）

China-Japan ties: future more important than history

PR76011

BEIJING, Oct. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

China-Japan ties will thrive in the future, Kazuo Ogura, former Japanese

ambassador to France, said in his speech at this year's Beijing-Tokyo Forum in

mid-October. His words represent the aspirations of insightful Japanese people

for continued friendship between the two countries.

After nearly a decade of "chill", China-Japan ties took a turn for the better

this year. In early May, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang paid an official visit to

Japan; in late October, Shinzo Abe made the first visit to China by a Japanese

prime minister in seven years. A commentator seeking an appropriate metaphor

for this resumption of high-level visits described it as pressing the "reset

button" for healthy development of China-Japan relations.

Abe's China visit occurred at particularly symbolic moments, described in

Chinese as the three "coincidences." First, this year marks the 40th

anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

Second, it is also the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up.

Third, the visit took place at the very moment when escalating trade tensions

between China and the United States were creating changes in the world

geopolitical landscape.

By calling them three "coincidences", the author employs exaggeration to make

the article more appealing. Actually, as the English poet Alexander Pope

(1688-1744) once observed: "all chance, direction, which thou canst not see".

Abe's China visit and the warming of China-Japan relations are, above all,

inevitable results of changes in the international environment.

Over 40 years ago, thanks to the extraordinary political courage and wisdom of

Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Kakuei Tanaka, Takeo Fukuda and other

members of the old generation of state leaders of the two countries, the

confrontation and outright hostility between China and Japan came to an end,

bilateral ties were normalized and returned to a pathway of peace and

cooperation.

The signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship not only ensured

the maintenance of peace in Asia, and, indeed, in the wider world, but also

created a favorable external environment for China's reform and opening up. Two

months after the signing of the treaty, the 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th

Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held, launching the

reform and opening-up policy.

Over the past four decades, the bilateral trade volume has increased from some

US$4 billion to over US$300 billion. Meanwhile, personnel exchanges have risen

from merely tens of thousands to more than 10 million in 2017. Driven by reform

and opening-up, China has enjoyed robust economic growth to become the world's

second largest economy, laying a firm foundation for China-Japan relations in

the new era. Without the improvements in Sino-American and Sino-Japanese

relations, a favorable external environment for promoting reform and opening up

would not have existed; without economic development and higher international

status brought about by reform and opening-up, China would not have been able

to become both Japan's real partner as well as a competitor.

Abe's visit took place when the international environment was experiencing

significant changes. Since it came to power, on the pretext of defending

"America First", the Trump administration has been pursuing unilateralism and

trade protectionism, with tremendous impact on the existing multilateral

cooperation system, international economic order and international relations.

To further deepen reform and open its door wider to the outside world, China

firmly opposes any form of trade protectionism and a focus on unilateralism.

Japan, with its economic structure dominated by imports of raw materials,

manufacturing and exports, equally treats trade protectionism and unilateralism

as totally unacceptable.  

Although some territorial and historical issues have created friction and even

conflicts between China and Japan, they are dwarfed by the threat to the

international order brought about by moves opposing globalization and in favor

of trade protectionism that go against the general direction and development of

the two countries. The two governments and peoples are very clear in their

minds as to which is most important. This is indeed the reason for Abe's visit

to China and the warming of bilateral ties.

Improving bilateral ties is a rare opportunity for both China and Japan. The

two sides should make efforts towards achieving positive momentum and putting

China-Japan ties back on normal track. To understand the significance of such

an improvement, there are several aspects to focus on:

First, the China-Japan relationship is not simply a bilateral one. China and

Japan, as major countries in Asia and also the second and third largest

economies in the world, play a vital role in Asia-Pacific and global affairs.

The confrontation of these two countries, with such huge economic aggregates,

would not only impact the harmony and security of Asia, but global peace and

development as well. Therefore, to properly handle the China-Japan relationship

is of a significance going far beyond the bilateral level.

Second, we should consider mutual benefits, win-win cooperation and the

promising prospects. Once the two parties are transformed from being

competitors to becoming better partners based on the solid complementarity of

market and technology, they can expand the range of the areas of cooperation to

include third parties. China has strong processing and manufacturing

capabilities, while Japan leads in management, science and technology. Once

they meet each other in the international marketplace,  competition is

inevitable. No one will emerge as a winner in such a competitive situation. It

will not only be harmful to the companies of both countries, but also degrade

service level and quality. During Abe's visit to China, a delegation of

Japanese business leaders took part in the China-Japan Third Party Market

Cooperation Forum, showing the growing convergence of interests in this regard.

Third, they jointly oppose trade protectionism and seek to safeguard the free

trade system and WTO rules. Over the past two years, the United States has been

withdrawing from international collaboration in regard to several vital

international issues, pursuing unilateralism and trade protectionism. It has

not only posed a threat to the existing international trade order, damaging the

interests of China and Japan, but also had a serious impact on overall

international relations and the existing world pattern. China and Japan are the

beneficiaries and defenders of the multilateral trading system. They have every

reason to join hands to oppose trade protectionism, and jointly establish and

maintain an open world economy system through the promotion of the

China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Agreement and other multilateral mechanisms.

Fourth, we should never forget the existence of over 2,000 years of links

between China and Japan, as well as the bitter lessons brought by the past wars

they have fought. The bilateral ties are both complex and special, and we

cannot always expect smooth sailing. The two sides should adopt a long-term

vision and a broader mindset to look at the China-Japan relationship with a

rational and pragmatic attitude in order to handle any issues that emerge. They

cannot be constrained by emotions and the problems that cannot always be solved

in a timely way. Only in this way, can we promote  China-Japan ties to a new

phase, improve the wellbeing of people of the two countries and boost world

peace and development.

After all, the future is more important than history.

The author Wang Xiaohui is editor-in-chief of China.org.cn.

China-Japan ties: future more important than history

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/2018-10/28/content_68703610.htm

SOURCE:  China.org.cn