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In 1972, ** met with Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka in Beijing. During the talks, Kakuei Tanaka said that he was "willing to adopt a flexible attitude on the issue of war reparations." Surprisingly, ** rejected the suggestion, saying "don't mention it".
For a while, the outside world was shocked. InDuring the war, China paid more than 35 million lives and nearly $100 billion in economic losses. Japan's atrocities in China are vividly visible. Japan should bear this astronomical amount of compensation, which is China's right.
However, time has passed, and looking at today, we can understand how far-sighted the decision was. He gave up his rights in exchange for benefits; Emotions are given up and strategies are obtained. This concession opened the door to the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations, and also won China valuable capital on the international stage, and ultimately changed the trajectory of the fate of a great power.
Let's first look back at the situation after the end of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, China, as a victorious country, was deprived of its rights and interests for various reasons.
In the War of Resistance Against Japan, China paid a huge price. There are as many as 35 million military and civilian people**, and the equivalent economic loss is more than 100 billion US dollars. An ancient Eastern power almost fought an existential battle. The Chinese people won the War of Resistance by fighting bloody battles.
It stands to reason that the victorious country has the right to demand compensation from the defeated country for its losses. China has also been fighting for claims against Japan. Other countries, however, are dominated by the United StatesHowever, China was excluded and the San Francisco Peace Treaty was signed separately with Japan。This peace treaty greatly reduced Japan's compensation and seriously infringed on China's interests.
This is the first reason why justice is hard to achieve. China's voice has been stifled and its interests have been violently trampled. New China had just been founded, and before it had time to make its voice heard, it was met with a cold reception on the international stage. ** A harsh rebuke to the San Francisco Peace Treaty is"One revives Japanese militarism, hostilizes China and the Soviet Union, threatens Asia, and prepares for a new and new war of aggression."Terms.
What made it even more difficult for China to accept was that in 1952, the Kuomintang regime signed a treaty with JapanThe Treaty of Peace between Japan and Taiwanand unilaterally waives the right to claim compensation against Japan.
This is the second reason why justice is hard to achieve. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Japan has further weakened China's demand for compensation.
In fact, the reason why Taiwan is in a hurry to establish diplomatic relations with Japan is because of deeper political considerations.
It was the Cold War period, and the United States and the Soviet Union were facing each other. With Japan's hand, Taiwan can obtain both economic support and political recognition. This will not only consolidate its own power, but also further weaken the mainland's voice.
The political reality of cross-strait competition has further complicated the issue of Japan's compensation. Because Taiwan has already established diplomatic relations with Japan, if the mainland continues to force compensation, it will inevitably encounter even greater resistance. The Taiwan side openly stated that it had renounced its claims against Japan, so that Japan could reject the mainland's request with the same set of arguments.
There is another very practical reason for Japan's reparationsJapan has become a pawn of the United States to contain China
In the 50s of the last century, the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was in full swing. The United States decided to support Japan and counterbalance the influence of socialist countries.
As a result, the "San Francisco Peace Treaty" became a tool for the United States to control Japan and contain China. It slashed Japan's reparations in exchange for Japan's commitment to defer to the United States and confront China. Japan gets the opportunity for economic revival and in return becomes an ally of the United States in Asia.
Until Nixon's visit in 1972, Japan had been an important ally of the United States in Asia. If China demands compensation, it will inevitably anger the United States and make it difficult to repair Sino-US relations. Japan will also intensify its unfriendly posture toward China and hinder the improvement of Sino-Japanese relations.
From this point of view, the issue of Japan's reparations has been hijacked by the big chess game of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, and it is not easy for China to deal with this issue independently.
What made it even more difficult for China to fight for compensation was the diplomatic dilemma that China itself faced at the time.
In the 60s of the last century,Sino-Soviet relations broke down, China is in an unprecedented diplomatic dilemma. There are very few countries that have diplomatic relations with China, and the whole of China is in a desperate situation of diplomatic isolation. Between 1965 and 1970, only 2 countries have diplomatic relations with China. At the same time, four countries have also severed diplomatic relations with China.
At the same time, Taiwan, with the support of the United States and Japan, has further exacerbated China's diplomatic dilemma. If China wants to gain diplomatic space, the issue of Japanese reparations has to be put aside. The priority now is to break the diplomatic dilemma, not to entangle with Japan.
It was against the backdrop of this great power game that Nixon's surprise visit to China in 1972 brought a historic opportunity to China.
The United States hoped to use China's power to end the Vietnam War, and at this time there were signs of détente in Sino-American relations. China is also aware of the need to seize this opportunity to break the diplomatic dilemma.
Therefore, at this once-in-a-lifetime historical juncture, the decision to give up compensation can be said to be a sacrifice of small interests and the overall situation, and a short-term consideration of long-term development. This decision has finally lifted China out of its diplomatic predicament and embarked on a great journey of integration into the world.
The decision to waive compensation may seem to close the door to the fight for compensation, but it actually opens a much larger window.
First, this decision quickly eased Sino-Japanese relations. In 1972, China and Japan established diplomatic relations, bringing important economic assistance and technical support to China. The low-interest loans provided by Japan made up for China's loss of giving up reparations, which provided important support for China in a difficult economic period at that time.
Secondly, this decision further isolates Taiwan. After Japan established diplomatic relations with China, it severed its official relations with Taiwan, leaving Taiwan in a situation of helplessness in the international community.
In the end, this decision frees China from a diplomatic dilemma. In the 60s of the last century, China's diplomacy was in an ice period, and diplomatic relations with more than 90 countries were severed. After 1972, the number of countries that established diplomatic relations with China increased, and China returned to the international stage.
It can be seen that the decision to waive compensation has created a precedent for China's diplomacy and allowed China to find an independent development path.
In the face of the intricacies of the international situation, ** is not bound by the established framework, but takes a different approach. This historic policy decision and courage have enabled China to walk in the tide of the times and open up a broad road to the world.
Today's China is taking confident steps to forge ahead in a world of modularity and more decentralization. We should keep in mind the courage and wisdom of the fearless pioneers of the older generation, seek development in the midst of opening up, open up a new situation in the midst of changes, and take concrete actions to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and create a better new century together.