Promoting exchanges and enhancing mutual trust

Japan's Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada paid a two-day visit to China recently at the invitation of Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie. It was the first visit by a Japanese defense minister since 2003 when Shigeru Ishiba visited China as Director-General of the then Japan Defense Agency.

During the visit, both sides exchanged views on a wide range of topics, such as the defense policies of the two countries, international and regional security situations, as well as exchanges on defense between the two nations, reaching a consensus for continuous efforts to maintain regional peace and stability.

They also highly praised the progress of defense exchanges following talks held between leaders from Chinese and Japanese defense departments in August 2007. In addition, both sides agreed to continuously hold dialogues and strengthen communications and exchanges in terms of each country's defense policies, foreign policies, and international and regional security situations. All actions will be in accordance with the "China-Japan joint statement on all-round promotion of strategic and mutually beneficial relations" as well as the "Chinese and Japanese governments' joint press communiqué concerning enhancing exchanges and cooperation" issued by Chinese President Hu Jintao during his visit to Japan in May 2008. The aim is to further strengthen mutual understanding and mutual trust, and promote friendship between China and Japan.

Field officer and junior officer exchanges between Chinese and Japanese militaries were not suspended even during the "politically cold and economically warm" periods. Moreover, Chinese and Japanese defense exchanges have increased in recent years.

In August 2007, former Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, who was also Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission and State Councilor, visited Japan, marking the first time in nine and a half years that a Chinese defense minister had visited Japan. In November that year, China's Navy ships visited Japan for the first time. In 2008, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force sent ships to visit China in reciprocation. Since 2008, Takashi Saito, Chief of Staff for Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, and China's Air Force commanders, Navy commanders and Deputy Chief of the General Staff have exchanged visits to China and Japan. Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said while meeting General Ge Zhenfeng, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army of China, in February this year that exchanges between the Japanese and Chinese air forces, navies and armies have now already begun on all fronts. He said Japan would like to deepen its defense exchanges with China and make concerted efforts to build strategic mutually-beneficial relations between Japan and China.

Strengthening defense communications between China and Japan has been a consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state. Through multi-layered communication involving various fields, the two countries' defense departments intend to better understand each others' viewpoints, stances and concerns as well as seek common interests so as to constantly improve strategic mutual trust, intensify concrete communications and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Both countries agree that in reciprocity for Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada's visit to China, Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie will pay a visit to Japan this year. The negotiation of defense and security between Chinese and Japanese defense departments will be conducted in Tokyo this year. The Chiefs of Staff for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force will each visit China this year or at a mutually convenient time for both countries. The mutual visits of warships will continue, and Chinese naval vessels will visit Japan this year. Both countries will also promote communications between their military research and educational departments and hold discussions through various forms of dialogue.

Maintaining long-term peace and friendship is the only option for both China and Japan. Constantly strengthening strategic mutual trust and mutual trust in the area of defense security are two of the most important foundations for China and Japan to build strategic and reciprocal relations. Promoting dialogue and exchange, intensifying trust and getting rid of the distrust between Chinese and Japanese defense departments is also good for both regional and global peace and stability.