China–Japan relations: creating a ‘sea of peace, cooperation and friendship’

[kawaraj]

Politicizing illegal coral harvesting an overreaction


Japanese media reported on Tuesday that there are still lots of Chinese fishing ships suspected of harvesting coral off the coast of Japan's Ogasawara islands.

The Japanese authorities have said that they will allow Chinese boats to come ashore, but Chinese fishermen cannot seek refuge on land ahead of an approaching typhoon.

Some radical Japanese media outlets have claimed that these Chinese boats were testing Japan's maritime vigilance and launching provocations toward Japan.

This speculation is ludicrous. China has never planned "a people's war on the sea" against Japan, not to mention that a typhoon is approaching and that coral is a very sensitive maritime resource.

Harvesting coral is illegal in China.

If the Japanese reports are true, it is likely that these fishermen were seeking to dodge the Chinese ban on coral removal and going to remote waters to earn their living. There are no political motives behind it.

Both the Chinese government and Chinese society oppose domestic fishermen entering foreign waters and conducting illegal fishing.

On the Chinese Internet, there is much criticism toward fishermen who engage in illegal cross-border fishing activities.

Nonetheless, fishermen prioritize their livelihoods beyond other considerations. It is not an easy task to effectively manage and monitor this group.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested that the Japanese authorities handle the issue in a rational, lawful and fair way. After all, these fishermen belong to a disadvantaged group.

Dealing with the fishermen in a forcible manner may lead to unexpected side effects.

At a time when the Sino-Japanese relationship is highly tense, it is necessary to undergo small inconveniences so as to save much bigger troubles.

Back in China, it is necessary for the government to take more resolute measures, and solve these fishing disputes at root.

There are a large number of Chinese fishermen and when offshore resources become scarce, they may risk going to foreign waters.

Frequent economic disputes could lead to political risks and public misunderstandings. People both at home and abroad may link these complicated disputes with China's national strength.

China's national power is increasingly eminent in Asia. Grass-roots people are also closely involved in the country's everyday interactions with the external world.

Many other countries benefit enormously from China's opening-up. They also need to share responsibility for solving problems emerging from this process.

It is unwise for any concerned party to make simplified, malicious policies toward Chinese fishermen, and purposely channel in nationalistic emotions.

or it's more like they are acturally Taiwanese? I've heard of these things before.

 

[Aepsilons]

China-Japan Agricultural Products Trade Consultation Held in Beijing
November 3, 2014 - 08:47 BJT (00:47 GMT) MOFCOM

The Thirty-Second China-Japan Agricultural Products (Green Chinese Onions and Fresh Mushrooms) Trade Consultation was held in Beijing on October 28. Ten representatives of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, some member enterprises and relevant departments of the China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce (CCCFINA) participated in the conference. Twelve representatives of Japanese agricultural cooperatives, importers, the Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, the Forestry Department, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the embassy in China took part in the conference. CCCFINA Vice Chairman Yang Shengjun attended and presided over the conference.

The participants exchanged information on the production and trade of green onions and fresh mushrooms in China and Japan, with good results. Both sides confirmed that the China-Japan Agricultural Products Consultation played a positive role in promoting the trade of green onions and fresh mushrooms between the two countries. They will stick to this beneficial communication mechanism and further strengthen daily exchange of information.

I always smile and am genuinely elated to read progress such as these. I sometimes am vexed that western media does not report things like these enough.

Thanks for sharing the article, buddy.

 

[TaiShang]

I sometimes am vexed that western media does not report things like these enough.

"Enough" is somehow an exaggeration They do not report, at all. Maybe, it is because "anti-China" sells most in the West (like anti-US sells best in most Middle East), or, they are too much embedded in Washington through backdoor agreements/deals.

 

[Aepsilons]

Japan, China explore cooperation against disasters


The Japanese and Chinese ministers in charge of disaster management agreed Sunday to explore ways to improve cooperation, as the Asian giants take slow steps towards building better ties.

Japan’s disaster management minister Eriko Yamatani and China’s Civil Affairs Minister Li Liguo -- the first Chinese minister to visit Japan for three years -- also voiced hope of inviting South Korea to three-way ministerial talks on disaster management this year.

They met on the sidelines of a UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in the northern Japanese city of Sendai, which was hit hard by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and killer tsunami in March 2011.

Yamatani thanked China for its help after the natural disaster, which also triggered the ongoing Fukushima nuclear crisis.

In response, Li said he was “highly interested in Japan’s disaster prevention methods”, according to national broadcaster NHK.

Yamatani told Li she wanted to hold a trilateral meeting of disaster management ministers from Japan, China and South Korea later this year.

Li said he might be unable to attend the meeting, but promised China would “send an appropriate individual”, the Nikkei business daily reported.

The two ministers did not discuss the overall state of relations between their countries, local media said.

Relations have cooled sharply in recent years due to an emotional territorial dispute and animosity stemming from Japan’s aggression in Asia before and during World War II.

Japan, China and South Korea also aim to hold a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers, and there are hopes any such meeting could lead to a three-way leadership summit later in the year between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Park Geun-Hye.

Abe and Xi met in November, but the Japanese premier has yet to hold an official bilateral meeting with Park.



Japan, China explore cooperation against disasters | South China Morning Post

Japanese Minister Eriko Yamatani and Chinese Minister Li Liguo;

@TaiShang @cnleio @Yizhi @Edison Chen @Chinese-Dragon @hans @AndrewJin et al.

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S. Korea, Japan, China vow to boost cooperation in tackling water issues



South Korea, Japan and China on Monday vowed to further boost their cooperation in dealing with issues related to water while agreeing to share their knowledge with others to help them overcome such problems.

The agreement came at a ministerial meeting held on the sidelines of the 7th World Water Forum in South Korea's southeastern cities of Daegu and Gyeongju.

The meeting involved South Korea's minister of land, infrastructure and transport, Japan's transport and tourism minister, and China's minister of water resources.

"We decide to share the knowledge and experience learned in above water policy innovation initiatives for improved water security in three countries. In addition, we welcome trilateral cooperation to share and spread our achievements and success to other countries, in particular, the developing world," they said in a joint statement released by Seoul's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The three ministers also noted the importance of technology developments in dealing with various water problems that include water pollution, security and management.

"Recognizing the importance of science and technologies in realizing international and national water development goals, we support the timely creation of Science & Technology Process at the 7th World Water Forum and respect the deliberations and outcomes made at the Science & Technology Process," the statement said.

"We share the recognition that water policy innovation and reform should be promoted by each country in order to strengthen the core role of water resource in sustainable development, improve synergy among relevant government agencies and relevant stakeholders, enhance the resilience of water infrastructure and attract more financial investment into the water sector."

The World Water Forum is the world's largest event involving water that has been held every three years since 1997. This year's meeting kicked off Sunday for a five-day run with some 1,800 political, business leaders and activists from around the world, while it is expected to attract some 35,000 others. (Yonhap)



S. Korea, Japan, China vow to boost cooperation in tackling water issues

 

[TheTruth]

East Asia might not have had the best histories for cooperation but almost every single one of our interests is aligned. Uniquely we face the same enemies, the same economic hurdles, similar cultural/political impediments with regard to the rest of the world, the same resource shortage profiles. All of these have concrete solutions we can solve better together than individually.