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Sunday evening's meeting between President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the 12th Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum has received a high degree of attention from those who hope to see improvements in bilateral ties between the two Asian heavyweights.
Given the frost that cast over the relations between the two neighbors over the past few years, their handshake on Sunday was conspicuous.
From the Chinese perspective, frequent eruptions of right-wing sentiments inside Japan, and the Japanese prime minister's Yasukuni Shrine complex, hurt the Chinese desire for good neighborly ties.
As a result of the shrine visits, China-Japan ties have remained strained and exchange of mutual visits by heads of the two countries has come to a halt since October 2001.
Days earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated that a meeting between the two leaders rests on the right conditions.
That the meeting finally happened has demonstrated a sincere Chinese aspiration for better ties.
But how would such goodwill be received in Japan? We will have to wait and see.
Similar to several previous occasions, Koizumi told President Hu and the press he was sincere about harmonious ties with China.
After all that has been said, however, will anything be done?
Koizumi knew what Yasukuni means to the Chinese hearts and minds. When President Hu told him history was something that the two countries could not ignore, he said he was also keen on drawing lessons from history.
But what has he learnt? Will he rethink shrine visits?
Since taking office in April 2001, Koizumi has paid four visits to the controversial shrine, a symbol of Japanese militarism in numerous Asian eyes. The visits have all drawn strong indignation from across Asia.
He also said he will take Hu's remarks "sincerely" and said he understands the Chinese people's feelings on the Yasukuni Shrine issue.
But he still said, just like in the past, that his pilgrimage to the shrine is to pray for peace.
Considering Koizumi's repeated stance that he will continue to pay homage to the shrine despite oppositions from Asian neighbors, and whether he will give up such activity next year, a sensitive one for all Chinese as it is the 60th anniversary of the Chinese people's success in their war against Japanese aggression, remains deeply doubtful.
If Koizumi really values his country's relations with China, he should take more actions than words to rid the obstacles to a smooth Sino-Japanese relationship.
(China Daily November 24, 2004)
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