China's Xi says Japan friendship 'worth cherishing'

Watch out for the knife in the back.

Abe and the Japanese goverment should follow the examples that were set by Merkel. If you notice recently, the German chancellor flew to the Russian capital to lay a wreath at the grave of the Unknown Soldier, close to the Kremlin. Merkel said "History teaches us that we must do anything possible to resolve conflicts, however, difficult they may be, peacefully and through dialogue". But your talking about Abe and Japan. I doubt any Japanese leaders will go to China to lay a wreath in Nanking.

Remorseful Xi with unremorseful Abe realizing that benefit of friendship of two Asian massive economies is much greater then benefit of war between them.

China is being very touchy-feely. They are giving Abe an ever higher cliff to fall off of if he does not apologize sincerely and thoroughly.

It is time for China to face up to history.....

45 million deaths during 1958-1960

The Chinese Communist Party is a dictatorship....

And it can say anything, do anything .... without worrying about lawless behavior.

They will continue to blast Japan about history.... more money for the partry leaders.

What is being said today...should not be take seriously......

They will change it....when they want to.

StrangerlandMay. 25, 2015 - 12:05PM JST If it were laughable, then it would be a non-issue, because no one would agree with the Chinese on the matter. The >fact that it's an issue, with many people on both sides, means it's not laughable, and is a very real issue.

It's only an issue for China and their tributary state South Korea. It;'s not an issue for the rest of Asia and the entire world who are far more concerned with China's military and terrotorial expanmnsion TODAY, rather than 70 year old history.Yes, it is quite laughable,

@yubaru

Only that it was not China who proposed and initiated this mega mission but a Japanese politician, named Nikai, who has long put emphasis on the importance of peace between the two countries.

If it were laughable, then it would be a non-issue, because no one would agree with the Chinese on the matter. The fact that it's an issue, with many people on both sides, means it's not laughable, and is a very real issue.

Living MemoryMay. 24, 2015 - 05:21PM JST "Apologies HAVE been made numerous times in the past. " Its not enough to make phoney apologies. Only real apologies count.

So China accepted Japan's apology in 1972, signing ther Sino-Japanese Treaty of Friendship, even reaffirmed it again in 1978, received aid, assistamce and investments from Japan....then in 2010 when it wanted to claim the Senkaku Islands, China suddenly realized that the apology was phony? The beauty of CCP propaganda is that it's so obviously convenient and flies in the face of logic that it's laughable that China actually expects the rest of the world to buy it.

He added that “friendship” between the countries “deserves cherishing and protecting,” at the event, attended by Japanese delegates including former economy minister Toshihiro Nikai.

“The efforts of anyone seeking to distort or beautify the facts of Japan’s acts of militaristic invasion will not be accepted by the people of China,” he added.

Xi is correct on both counts. If Japan is serious in its intent to reach true mutual understanding between the two countries, that would be something worth "cherishing and protecting". But, as he said, it has to start with a willingness on Japan's part to not play games with respect to its history.

Whether we think it is genuine or not, he has come out publicly saying that he wants to improve China's relationship with Japan. Time will tell but in the meantime lets applaud it and leave it at that.

I agree with you iskysong - Talk is cheap. Words have to be followed by actions. Where there is competitiveness, there is little space for being empathetic and friendly. I'm pretty sure Abe will not revise his own policies just because Beijing told him to do so. Especially when comments about Japanese war crimes have such a demanding attitude. Everyone seems to stand fast by their own agendas, so there is at least some level of stability in the current situation.

The calm before the store.

China's Xi says Japan friendship 'worth cherishing'

Hi New Chief,

Talk is cheap, please show some real acts........no but, and mean it!!!!

@Mitsuo Matsuyama

As far as I know China is the only country who will have military parade for anniversary of the end of WWII. I don't know any other country that celebrates such thing. I lived in the US, and I never saw a military parade celebrating it. I lived in South America, and I never saw a military parade celebrating it.

You should avail yourself of the internet. I mean, it is obvious you have access to it, but you know, you should really try using it more.

Victory Day was a national holiday in the U.S. until 1975. It is still celebrated by Rhode Island State. Why that one state? Because it lost more sailors per capita during the war with Japan than any other state. In other words, they suffered more. Well China suffered way, Way, WAY more than most countries at hands of the Japanese, maybe most of all.

If you go to Youtube you can find a video from 2010 of American and other militaries marching in celebration of Russia's Victory Day at Red Square.

If America did not make allies of Japan and Germany after the war, it is likely Victory Day would still be celebrated, possibly with a military parade. Its not all a sense of taste and forgiveness you know, even though some claim that.

@jeff198527

It's been 70 years and it's impossible to change the past.

Totally missing the point. The past can be admitted honestly today, and that is what is wanted most of all, and that is what Japan is absolutely not doing.

Per the Mitsuo Matsuyama's comment I guess he does not know a continent named Europe, where yearly parades in many countries mark the WWII anniversary.

It's been 70 years and it's impossible to change the past.

Actually, folks, this sounds like a big deal. Increase the peace.

Japan's relations with China will improve only when China becomes a democratic country. As long as China is ruled by bullies, there is no hope.

Awww... come on kids, let's all be friends...

It takes a true leader to take small steps in an attempt to further peace and cooperation. I give China a thumbs up for taking the first steps in trying to make a long lasting peace between the countries.

Yeah there are a ton of problems yet to be taken care of, but it would behoove Abe to return the gesture with a frank and sincere response.

Hi Mitsuo Matsuyama, I do believe President Putin's Russian Army Parade Victory Day devoted to the 70th anniversary of the humongous Victory over Nazi Germany in the seriously Great Patriotic War had every conceivable method of doomsday destruction goose stepping, driven, launched, flown or rowed across Red Square, propaganda reminiscent of the heady heyday of Brezhnev granite faced style of soviet paranoia.

Impressive as much as inappropriate........I do believe China’s President Xi Jinping rubbed shoulder with such dignitaries such as President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe and Steven Seagal 7th-dan black belt Aikido ayatollah.....

FullHD 60 FPS] Russian Army Parade Victory Day, 2015 Парад Победы 70 лет победы! .....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw2bsbqycAY

Well. That speech was in his political Agenda

As far as I know China is the only country who will have military parade for anniversary of the end of WWII.

I don't know any other country that celebrates such thing.

I lived in the US, and I never saw a military parade celebrating it.

I lived in South America, and I never saw a military parade celebrating it.

@livingmemory

And you accuse me of knowing little of the subject? There are no graves at Yasukuni!

I was being emphatic. And yes you do know little on the subject. This is obvious.

China's aggression? When was the last time China actually invaded anybody? Japan MIGHT do something? Well what about your assertion that China MIGHT do something?

If you think China is doing nothing, and you see nothing then no reasonable argument will change your thinking despite seeing it everyday in the news, little by little. Right, its not invasion, but there are more ways to be a threat than a flat out invasion.

N Korea can't compare to the threat of China.

America conducts spy flights within China's EEZ originating from Japan and has done this since long before China sent ships and aircraft near the Senkakus.

yes of course you would say that. Perhaps Americas presence in Japan is what keeps an aggressive, dishonest nation like China from doing anything they want in the region, which some might argue they are already.

You can't get in someone's face and then complain that they got in your face back!

I am not in your face and everyone has a right to an opinion but I am sick of people like you that jump on bandwagons periodically, ignoring that which has been achieved before by a peaceful nation that has done no harm to anyone since the WW2 defeat. China can't bare that Japan is a peaceful nation and will always try to make it seem otherwise. They have people like you to champion it.

@Moon1

Perhaps they should dig up the war criminals

And you accuse me of knowing little of the subject? There are no graves at Yasukuni!

Or is Chinas aggression Japans fault too

China's aggression? When was the last time China actually invaded anybody? Japan MIGHT do something? Well what about your assertion that China MIGHT do something?

The only threat around Asia is China.

What happened to North Korea?

The biggest threat around Asia is the United States of America, a country known to have invaded other countries recently on the basis of false information. China has felt the need to catch up to that threat. And who hosts the U.S. military? That's right! Japan does!

And Japan has violated Article 9 by possessing massive war potential. Japan's navy easily outclasses that of China and will even if the Americans go home. America conducts spy flights within China's EEZ originating from Japan and has done this since long before China sent ships and aircraft near the Senkakus.

You can't get in someone's face and then complain that they got in your face back!

The messages are mixed in one breath Japan friendship is 'worth cherishing', the next reverting to type, “face up to” its 20th century history. Today “peace and friendly cooperation between China and Japan is the common will of the people, and the general trend of events” could be followed tomorrow with “the facts of history cannot be distorted”...... It like trying to make sense unraveling the conversations of a couple of drunk uncles. Wondering the contents of the letter from Uncle Abe ......

Its not enough to make phoney apologies

Can't comment on this as I am not finished laughing.

There are 1,068 reasons to bad mouth Japan at Yasukuni shrine alone, in the form of the venerated souls of war criminals. And politicians just keep going there, showing quite clearly that Japan's apologies are phoney because those politicians were elected.

One has nothing to do with the other - They have the right to visit, to pay respects to all those war dead that the US did not decide were criminals. Perhaps they should dig up the war criminals, move them and then by your logic no-one would visit Yasukuni because they are only paying respects to war criminals when they visit

And before some screams again that it was 70 years ago, those people are pay respects to war criminals TODAY. So who knows what they are capable of TOMORROW. For a hint, look at how Article 9 of the Constitution is under attack and has been, in fact, violated for decades.

So lets see now, China is less a threat than Japan? because Japan MIGHT do something one day. The only threat around Asia is China. Or is Chinas aggression Japans fault too

@Moon1

Apologies HAVE been made numerous times in the past.

Its not enough to make phoney apologies. Only real apologies count. The Diet has never approved a real apology. In fact, they have not even approved a fake apology. However, the Education Ministry does keep approving textbooks that slice out the bits that need to be apologized over.

China just can't stand it if there is no reason to bad mouth Japan

There are 1,068 reasons to bad mouth Japan at Yasukuni shrine alone, in the form of the venerated souls of war criminals. And politicians just keep going there, showing quite clearly that Japan's apologies are phoney because those politicians were elected.

And before some screams again that it was 70 years ago, those people are pay respects to war criminals TODAY. So who knows what they are capable of TOMORROW. For a hint, look at how Article 9 of the Constitution is under attack and has been, in fact, violated for decades.

As soon as Japan stops whitewashing and denying the past, China can stop calling them on it. In fact, they won't have much choice, will they?

Apologies HAVE been made numerous times in the past. Why now is it suddenly a requirement ONCE AGAIN. These people talk as though Japan has done nothing by way of amends since ww2. No-one has white washed or denied anything - some people have short memories or know nothing about the subject. China just can't stand it if there is no reason to bad mouth Japan so this comes up whenever there is a shortage of reasons.

FizzBitMAY. 24, 2015 - 04:24PM JST Question....Is Japan calling on China to give back Tibet, admit it's Great Leap Forward deaths, etc?

That would be a stinging rebuke if not for the teensy problem that Japan has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with China's invasion of Tibet or the Great Leap Forward. And since in the real world Japan suffered not one bit from China's more recent wrongdoing but China did suffer from Imperial Japan's wrongdoing, that stinging rebuke is looking more and more like a feeble, transparent smokescreen.

Moral rightness and wrongness is not relative. You done wrong, you owe it to the victim to do right. It doesn't matter if the victim done wrong to someone else. This is pretty basic morality. To confuse the issue is to try and silence China's criticism of Imperial and modern Japanese behavior without dealing with the substance of that criticism. Personally, given that silencing critics without substantially addressing their concerns is something the PRC is rather infamous for, I think we should probably not be in such a rush imitate.

All the while China is stealing islands and territory from the Philippines and Vietnam etc..., this global distraction by China accusing and blaming Japan for stuff that happened 70 years ago is not working so now they are trying to buddy up. Sick FKS.

As soon as Japan stops whitewashing and denying the past, China can stop calling them on it. In fact, they won't have much choice, will they?

Question....Is Japan calling on China to give back Tibet, admit it's Great Leap Forward deaths, etc?

Woaah. Has hell just frozen over?

As soon as Japan stops whitewashing and denying the past, China can stop calling them on it. In fact, they won't have much choice, will they?

For those who want it the other way around, yes, I would like some of that pie in the sky too!

they should go or struck a deal to split the island on the line of water control