Deng Gong stayed on the Diaoyu Islands, and Japan did not realize it until many years later
The wheel of history is rolling forward, and Japan's relations with China have also experienced twists and turns. In 1978, the first vice premier visited Japan, which was the first national leader to visit Japan since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
However, after Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka visited China six years ago and signed the "Sino-Japanese Joint Statement," there is still an unresolved issue: the two countries need to strengthen communication on regional affairs and cooperate in economic, cultural, and technological fields.
From the perspective of the international situation, Japan has been proposing a new type of diplomatic strategy of "pragmatic diplomacy" since the time of Kakuei Tanaka, trying to contact the Soviet Union and China and establish diplomatic relations.
This was Japan's first step in getting rid of US control and embarking on an independent foreign policy after World War II. Due to the rapid economic development of Japan since the mid-1950s, Japan is no longer willing to be a small follower of the United States, and has begun to seek an international status that is more commensurate with its own strength.
At the same time, Japan is aware that if it wants to exert greater influence in Asian affairs, it cannot but have good relations with China. Without China's support, it will be difficult for Japan, as an offshore island nation, to extend its network to the Asian continent.
Of course, China also hopes to further strengthen exchanges with the Western world through Japan in order to counterbalance the enormous pressure from the north. Therefore, in-depth cooperation between Japan and China is crucial for both sides.
Kakuei Tanaka's visit to China sparked discontent in the United States, which took advantage of the oil crisis to overthrow Tanaka's cabinet and Takeo Miki took over as prime minister of Japan. However, Miki's shallow roots allowed him to act only along the American line, which led to the stagnation of negotiations on the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship.
At the end of 1976, Takeo Fukuda succeeded Miki and appointed the "pro-China" Nao Sonoda as foreign minister in an attempt to restart negotiations on the Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Fukuda's essence is not to promote Sino-Japanese friendship, but to use the "China card" to distract domestic attention and stabilize the ruling position of the LDP.
Fukuda tried to engage with China while trying to reassure the United States and the party's right-wing bigwigs, so substantive progress has been stagnant. In 1977, ** sharply pointed out Fukuda's plan, Futian stepped on two boats, and what he looked down on the most was this kind of wait-and-see politician style.
By the following year, the powerful faction within the LDP had come to understand that it might be difficult to maintain its ruling position if it did not promote substantial changes in Sino-Japanese relations.
Takeo Fukuda and Kakuei Tanaka found a profitable political line and turned to favor friendship with China. As a result, Takeo Fukuda sent Sonoda to China for substantive negotiations.
On August 12, 1978, the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship was signed in Beijing, and Takeo Fukuda attended the signing ceremony of the treaty held in the Anhui Hall of the Great Hall of the People.
He seemed to be infected by the warm atmosphere in Beijing, and said succinctly to the reporters who crowded the prime minister's official residence with relief: "The wooden bridge has become an iron bridge, and it will be much easier to transport things in the future!" ”
**The purpose of the visit to Japan was to witness the signing ceremony of the instrument of ratification held in Japan. At this time, Sino-Japanese relations were in fact in a very delicate state. There are many historical problems affecting bilateral relations between the two countries, especially since 1894, Japan has launched many wars of aggression against China, which have brought huge disasters and losses to the Chinese people.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, it has first taught the US-led "United Nations" a hard lesson on the Korean Peninsula, and then succeeded in developing atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs, and artificial satellites, and has gradually established a complete heavy industry system from being poor and white.
On the one hand, they were deeply surprised by the speed of China's development, and on the other hand, they were full of suspicions about China's growing strength.
After the defeat of World War II, Japan has always been constrained by the United States, closely following the United States in diplomacy and defense, and at the same time taking a tough attitude towards China. The issue of the Diaoyu Islands arose precisely because of the intervention of the United States.
The United States tried to use the Sino-Japanese contradictions to stir up the situation, and Japan was hit in the process, and Kakuei Tanaka took over as prime minister. China resolutely opposes this, and when Kakuei Tanaka visited China, although he hoped to have good relations with China, he did not have in-depth exchanges on the issue of the Diaoyu Islands.
During the talks between Takeo Fukuda and ***, ** expressed China's position on the Taiwan issue in a figurative way, and stressed that the obligation not to use force may become an obstacle to the peaceful reunification of Taiwan.
These remarks gave the Japanese side a first-class lesson. At the press conference, **'s remarks attracted widespread attention and reports.
** The answers at the press conference were watertight and disappointed Western journalists. However, a Japanese journalist raised a question about the ownership of the Diaoyu Islands, which suddenly made the atmosphere tense.
This ignorant reporter made the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs present in a cold sweat and made the Chinese personnel feel dissatisfied. Some Japanese right-wing forces do not seem to want to see the establishment of friendly relations between China and Japan, so they have done everything possible to create sensitive topics in an attempt to undermine the friendly atmosphere of this visit to Japan.
At this critical moment, ** calmly replied with a weightless attitude: "The two sides have different views on the ownership of the Diaoyu Islands. The first sentence of ** has clearly expressed China's position, that is, China** has always maintained that Diaoyu Dao is China's sacred territory.
Speaking at the press conference, he expressed China's attitude towards the Diaoyu Islands issue. He made it clear that Diaoyu Dao is China's territory, and pointed out that when Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations were normalized and the "Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship" was signed, both sides agreed not to deal with this issue.
As for some people who want to provoke this issue and hinder the development of Sino-Japanese relations, ** warns them without naming them: This is either stupid or bad. He also knocked on the Japanese side by the way, pointing out that if someone finds fault, Japan will bear full responsibility for affecting the relations between the two sides.
However, ** did not end there, he went on to say that the two countries ** should avoid this problem, and when the next generation is smarter, they may find a mutually acceptable way.
From his speech, we can see that China's position on the Diaoyu Dao issue has not changed, and the issue of territorial and maritime ownership not only involves a country's fundamental interests, but also involves its own dignity and prestige in the international community.
In front of the Chinese staff stationed in Japan, ** pondered: after more than 20 years of development, the air force and navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army are still weak and unable to defend the country's maritime rights and interests.
After receiving assistance from the United States, Japan has built up an advanced and powerful navy and air force. In the early 70s of the 20th century, the "Takatsuki" class frigate of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force was launched, with a displacement of more than 4,600 tons, which had reached the level of a destroyer, with a speed of up to 31 knots, and was equipped with a computerized combat data processing system, which was an advanced warship at that time.
In addition, Japan has launched the "Taitokaze"-class frigates with a displacement of 5,200 tons, which are missile destroyers. Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force is already capable of ocean-going warfare, with large destroyers, attack submarines, and advanced fighter jets.
At the same time, the United States is also exporting second-hand equipment to Japan, intending to strengthen Japan's military power and build it into a bridgehead in Asia.
At that time, although Japan's "Taitokaze"-class frigates were second-hand, their naval and air equipment strength was enough to surpass all Asian countries. As the leader of the People's Liberation Army, we are well aware of the current situation of the People's Air Force and the People's Navy, and after 10 years of hard work, we have made tremendous progress, but our equipment, personnel quality, and combat training still need to be improved.
Defending maritime rights and interests is a completely different challenge, in addition to a strong and modern army, it also requires logistical support ships and air force cover. And at the end of the 1970s, there was still a gap in the strength of our navy and air force compared with Western countries.
We must not just talk empty words, but must have sufficient strength and confidence to support our proposition. In 1982, in the Sino-British negotiations on Hong Kong's return to China, ** said in a firm tone that Hong Kong could be recovered today as long as we wanted.
** Meeting with Margaret Thatcher, strength determines the way countries interact with each other.
Thirty years in Hedong, thirty years in Hexi, the wheels of history are rolling forward. From the inspection of Shenzhen, which laid a solid foundation for the new China to enhance its national strength and enhance national defense, to China's GDP surpassing Japan's for the first time, to the 332 days that Chinese coast guard ships have patrolled the waters of the Diaoyu Islands, China's comprehensive national strength has been increasing day by day.
In the face of China's high-intensity and continuous patrols of the Diaoyu Islands, Japan is clearly overwhelmed, and increasingly can only say through diplomatic channels that "this is a microcosm of China's development and an important symbol of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."
The next generation is smarter than we are and will be able to find a solution that works for both parties. "This is the greatness of the Chinese people, who will do what they say and will never talk about in vain.