Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China-Japan relations are facing a severe situation, the root cause of which is the destruction of the political foundation

On September 29, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun hosted a regular press conference. CCTV reporter asked: Today is the 54th anniversary of the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement. Currently, China-Japan relations are facing serious difficulties. How does China view the historical and practical significance of the four political documents such as the China-Japan Joint Statement?

Guo Jiakun said that 54 years ago today, the older generation leaders of China and Japan signed and issued a joint statement with extraordinary political foresight and courage to normalize diplomatic relations between China and Japan. In the joint statement, Japan made it clear that it deeply reflects on its war responsibilities, recognizes that the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government of China, and fully understands and respects the Chinese government's position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China. The joint statement and other four political documents have laid the political and legal foundation for China-Japan relations and set political rules for the proper handling of history, Taiwan and other major principled issues. They should not be distorted, retrogressed, and must not be destroyed.

Guo Jiakun pointed out that today, more than half a century later, China-Japan relations are once again facing a severe situation. The root cause is that the political foundation of the relations between the two countries has been severely damaged. Instead of reflecting on its historical guilt of aggression, Japan's current leaders claimed that the incident in Taiwan constituted an "existential crisis situation" for Japan, blatantly challenging China's national sovereignty and betraying the original intention of normalizing diplomatic relations between China and Japan and Japan's political commitment to China. Japan also incites so-called "external threats" as an excuse to accelerate "remilitarization", challenge the post-war international order, and threaten regional peace and stability.

History has repeatedly proven that only by truly adhering to the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan can relations between the two countries stay on course and stay on track. On this day of important historical significance, we once again urge the Japanese authorities to reflect on and correct their mistakes and return to the original intention and starting point of the four political documents with practical actions.