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Published on January 5, 2008

When Asian economic giants Japan and China quarrel passionately about their historical relations and past deeds, news headlines are made and reverberate around the world. This happened again just recently, and now the two countries seem to have got their acts together and shown some common sense, an imperative for forging a closer friendship. This time around the media too have taken more notice than usual. Rarely in recent memory has a Japanese leader received such a warm reception and such gracious hospitality from a Chinese host. Make no mistake: Beijing wanted to show its goodwill towards Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda during his visit last week, knowing full well his long-standing support for Beijing. This was the Chinese way of saying thank you to Fukuda. The Japanese media were surprised that there was no negative reaction from the public or media given the 70th anniversary of the Nanking massacre, which has always been the template of pain, angst and irritation on the Chinese side.

Thus the successful visit has been taken as a sign that the countries are perhaps ready to move towards burying the past and looking forward to the future. During Fukuda's visit, Japan promised to establish environmental-information facilities in China and to share its experience and know-how in environmental technologies with Chinese companies. This is also a good sign that Japan has shifted its development assistance towards environmental protection.

This long-term cooperation will help the Chinese government to fight climate change, water pollution and a myriad other environmental problems.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Fukuda also placed emphasis on people-to-people relations between the two countries. Thousands of young people will be invited on exchange programmes, including three-year training courses for 10,000 Chinese, starting from next year. Such a large-scale grass-roots initiative will certainly improve public sentiment in both countries. At the height of anti-Japanese rallies in China the Japanese media and public at large called on the government, then led by Junichiro Koizumi, to severe all financial aid to China.

During his visit, Fukuda was also quick to dispel any doubt about Japan's position on Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on seeking United Nations membership in March. The Japanese prime minister took the first step to assure China that the Japanese were not keen on the idea. Their position is important as the United States and other countries have expressed similar concern over Taiwan's plan. It will allow Beijing to court Tokyo further. With the Olympic Games approaching, China will need the firm backing of Japan and its active participation in supporting the Games.

But before they can work together, they will have to overcome mutual obstacles that have plagued their friendship, especially concerning territorial disputes, including that involving gas exploration in the East China Sea. Further confidence-building measures are required if such sensitive issues are to be tackled seriously. They have promised to solve this issue by April, when Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to visit Japan. It is possible that if the developing sense of friendship and mutual trust continues they will agree on a joint-development scheme for the disputed area similar to the accords that Thailand and Malaysia reached over their disputed maritime territory in the Gulf of Thailand.

Stronger Sino-Japanese relations will also have a positive impact on future community-building in East Asia, which has so far been sluggish. For the past 10 years efforts have been constantly hampered by deteriorating ties between two countries whose cooperation is essential for the future of the East Asia Community.

The new partnership comes at the right time, as the new South Korean president Lee Myung-bak has also expressed interest in promoting Seoul's role in global and regional affairs. It will also benefit Asean, which has excellent relations with all three economic powers. The grouping can now enjoy this golden opportunity of greater harmony in East Asia to step up cooperation under its existing economic frameworks.

The Nation