Japanese Lawmakers' Beijing Visit Met with 'Lecture,' Exposing Risks of Proactive Engagement

A bipartisan delegation of Japanese lawmakers visiting Beijing recently received a stern lecture from Chinese official Lu Kang, revealing Beijing's preconditions for improving bilateral relations. The encounter underscored the risks of proactive engagement, particularly when China is actively promoting anti-Japanese sentiment.

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As long as Prime Minister Kishida's parliamentary response last November regarding 'Taiwan contingency' and Japan's understanding of the Taiwan issue do not change, China has no intention of changing its current policy toward Japan.

During a meeting on March 27th, Lu Kang, deputy head of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, told the Japanese delegation that China "has no intention of changing" its current policy toward Japan unless Prime Minister Fumio Kishida revises his stance on "Taiwan contingency." This implies Beijing's clear demand: for relations to improve, Japan must first concede on key issues.

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In other words, Beijing's conditions are very clear: if you want to improve relations, you can, but Japan must bow its head first.

Veteran journalist Yaita Akio criticized the timing of the visit, calling it an invitation for insult. He noted that the delegation, composed of members generally maintaining some distance from the Kishida administration, likely aimed to act as a communication channel. However, Yaita argued that approaching Beijing when it is inciting nationalistic anti-Japanese sentiment makes one vulnerable to exploitation.

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The more you proactively go to their door, the more you will be exploited and humiliated.

Yaita pointed out that China offered no substantive concessions on issues like export controls, instead using the meeting to pressure the Japanese delegation to relay demands back to Tokyo. He described Lu Kang's demeanor as arrogant and uncompromising, recalling similar interactions when Lu Kang served as director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Information Department. Yaita concluded that while dialogue is necessary, it must be based on mutual respect. He warned that if China perceives Japan as eager to improve relations, it may make excessive demands, turning such visits into repeated humiliations rather than diplomatic achievements.

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This is no longer an exchange; it's using the Japanese delegation as a tool to convey messages and exert pressure on Tokyo.