Last week, a delegation of about 180 people from the Japan Economic Association, led by Takao Shinto, president of the Japan Economic Association, arrived in China. China received this large delegation at a high level and set the venue for the talks between the two sides at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. However, Japan has put forward to China in the hope that China will lift the import ban on Japanese aquatic products, that China will resume the visa-free entry policy for Japanese citizens, and that China will dispel concerns about China's "Counter-Espionage Law." It can be said that Japan's demands are completely unreasonable. China's ban on the import of Japanese aquatic products is entirely responsible for Japan's forced discharge of nuclear sewage into the sea despite the opposition of the international community. So far, Japan** has not abandoned the plan, but wants China to lift the ban first, which is really whimsical. As for Japan's hope that China will be exempted from visas to Japan, in the international community, most of the visa-free visas are visa-free for each other, and Japan only asks China to be visa-free for Japan, but does not mention Japan's visa-free access to China. Since Japan cannot even achieve the principle of reciprocity in which visas are waived for each other, China will not agree to Japan's request. Finally, the "Counter-espionage Law" is China's most upheld law, and Japan's request is interfering in China's internal affairs.
Of course, China will not agree to these unreasonable demands of Japan. But there are some reasonable demands that are beneficial to both sides, and China has acceded to them as appropriate. During the talks with the Japanese delegation, senior officials of China's Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology exchanged views on hot issues of China-Japan economic and trade cooperation. Japan agreed to deepen cooperation with China in the fields of carbon neutrality, scientific and technological innovation, and services, and China also pledged to further improve the business environment for foreign-funded enterprises, strengthen exchanges and cooperation between China and Japan, enhance mutual trust, and maintain the stability and smoothness of the industrial chain.
However, as soon as the Japanese delegation's visit to China ended, some Japanese media reported that Japan plans to follow the example of the United States and Europe to strengthen export controls on some countries. According to the report, Japan's export control objects are divided into three categories, one is the countries to which the Security Council resolution prohibits exports; second, 27 countries with appropriate export controls, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea; The third is all other countries. Japan** is targeting the third category, which includes China and Russia. In addition, the report also mentions that Japan**'s intention is to prevent Japan-made goods, parts and related technologies from being used for military purposes, or transferred by third parties to countries where there is a "risk of military use". It is understood that Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has drawn up an export control list, and some machine tools and telecommunications equipment that are recognized as ordinary grades in industry standards will also be considered "technologically advanced". Once Japan's control measures are implemented, the export of these "technologically advanced" products will be restricted.
Global geopolitical conflicts continue, and Japan has waved the big stick of export control against China and Russia, but has not imposed restrictions on the United States and the West. Japan's move has obvious characteristics of bloc confrontation and is a sign of loyalty to the United States and Western countries. A few days ago, Japan officially announced to the outside world that it will visit the United States on April 10 and hold leadership talks with Biden of the United States. According to Japanese media, the focus of the talks is to strengthen the US-Japan alliance and discuss with the United States how to contain China in the East and South China Seas. Japan's tightening of export controls on China may be just an "appetizer" to show the United States Japan's position that Japan is willing to cooperate with the United States in containing China in the economy, trade, and production and supply chains.
According to customs data, the total import and export commodities between China and Japan in 2023 will be 2,900$5.2 billion, down 115%。China and Japan have already seen a sharp decline in 2023, and the visit of the Japanese business delegation to China also has the idea of resolving this issue and reinvigorating the scale of both sides. However, after obtaining China's commitment, Japan will strengthen export controls against China, which will inevitably have a negative impact on Sino-Japanese economic cooperation that has just shown an upward trend, and is not conducive to mutual trust and mutual benefit between China and Japan. No matter what Japan thinks, China needs to make a preparedness plan.
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