Source: Global Times - Global Network
On the 26th, at the 17th "Beijing-Tokyo Forum" security sub-forum, experts and scholars from China and Japan launched a "cloud discussion" on recent hot issues. As for the three major questions raised by the Japanese side, the Chinese side has all "accepted the offer", which is reasonable and well-founded, and all of them have been answered.
The guests participated in the discussion dialogue Photo: Xing Xiaojing
Former commander (air marshal) of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Education Group (Air Force) Onoda said in his speech that Japan and China have not been happy in exchanges, including the Taiwan Strait issue, and the recent frequent actions of the Chinese Navy and Air Force have shown that the level of the Chinese military has been greatly improved, but Japan and the United States are also worried about the tension in the Taiwan Strait.
Asked by the Chinese side, Onoda said cross-strait relations had progressed during the period of former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou, but he was puzzled that the Chinese government now seemed reluctant to deal with the Tsai Ing-wen authorities.
Yao Yunzhu, a senior adviser to the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, answered Onoda's question, saying that an important reason why the mainland has not responded positively to the Tsai Ing-wen authorities is that it does not accept the "1992 Consensus." The Tsai Ing-wen administration's failure to recognize the "1992 Consensus" is tantamount to taking away the political basis for cross-strait dialogue. To exchange views with a leader of the Taiwan region who does not recognize the one-China principle is tantamount to encouraging and supporting the separatist actions of the "Taiwan independence" forces.
When talking about the situation in the Taiwan Strait, some Japanese guests said that if the United States clearly stated that it would "defend Taiwan," would Japan want to join the United States? Do we want to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan in defense? Japan is afraid to face a dilemma.
In this regard, a Chinese security expert who participated in the discussion on the same day questioned that Japan's national interests and the national interests of the United States are very different, and Japan should maintain its independence. Assuming that Japan must increase its involvement in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait issue, it should be judged whether it can support it with its own capabilities. Is the outcome of the investment in line with its own security interests? Liu Hua also said that whether the resources consumed by the introduction of foreign countries to intervene in regional affairs can win real security and stability is also worth pondering.
However, in response to China's doubts about Japan's independence, Yoji Kada, commander of japan's former self-defense fleet (admiral), expressed a different opinion, saying that in the eyes of the Chinese, Japan seems to be a "small follower" of the United States, but this is not the case, emphasizing that "Japan is an independent country."
Subsequently, Katsutoshi Kono, former chief of staff of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, threw out questions saying that singaporean troops were training in Taiwan, but the Chinese government did not strongly oppose Singapore.
Yao Yunzhu explained that there are two main reasons for this. First, because there is no army base, Singapore has long rented Taiwan's military base for army training, which is unilateral and not joint training with the Taiwan army. Second, this action began shortly after the founding of Singapore and has a long history, and there is a tacit understanding between China and Singapore.
Recently, the West has repeatedly expressed concern about China's development of hypersonic missile technology, and at the forum, Shen Baoqian, a professor at the Department of Comprehensive Policy at Keio University in Japan, once again mentioned the matter and asked what the purpose of China's recent test firing of "hypersonic weapons" is.
A Chinese military expert attending the security sub-forum on the same day said in detail that the Chinese Foreign Ministry has responded that the previous test was a routine spacecraft test to verify the reusable technology of the spacecraft. In fact, the "hypersonic weapon" that Japan is concerned about is not a sudden technology, at least more than 20 years old, and its background is related to the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The U.S. government originally planned to develop a defense system that could intercept nuclear weapons, but because of the high cost, it developed a hypersonic gliding vehicle instead, with the goal of making it impossible for opponents to defend.
The military expert revealed that the United States, Russia and China are known to have this technology, and India is also developing it. For a technologically advanced country like Japan, there is no problem in developing it. That is to say, this technology is no longer the most advanced technology, the United States, Japan and other countries should be familiar with this situation, deliberately take out the hype to make people feel "incomprehensible".
It is worth noting that in the discussion activities on the 25th, the relationship between China and Japan was full of gunpowder. Today's forum between China and Japan not only talked about controversial issues, but also maintained a relatively relaxed atmosphere.
Ichiro Fujisaki, chairman of the Nakasone Peace Research Institute in Japan, as chair of the Japanese sub-forum, proposed at the beginning of the meeting that the two sides should not repeat their known differences and focus their discussions on how to find new areas of cooperation.
In terms of maintaining regional peace and stability, the two sides agreed to properly handle contradictions and differences, prevent accidental conflicts, and adhere to the peaceful settlement of disputes. At the same time, we will further strengthen and strengthen the crisis management and control mechanism, including the sea-air liaison mechanism, build a constructive security relationship, and conduct consultations on regional security guarantees.
At the forum, Yoji Kaeda recalled the story of past exchanges with the Chinese side, which aroused strong resonance. He still remembers that in November 2007, he and the Chinese people drank from 5 or 6 o'clock in the evening until 2:30 a.m. the next day, drunk and unconscious, but they brought the two sides closer.
In addition, China and Japan jointly expressed that they will continue to maintain exchanges and dialogues in the future, look forward to mutual visits as soon as possible after the end of the epidemic, and agree to have a chance to "drink in person".