Editor's Note

In a bid to improve Sino-Japanese relations, a special envoy sent from Japan is scheduled to arrive in China on January 22. The move follows an ongoing four-day visit of an envoy dispatched by South Korean president-elect Park Geun-hye to Beijing since Monday, seeking to build a stronger partnership with China.

Analysts say that by addressing China issues involving the Korean Peninsula and the Diaoyu Islands with both special envoys in Beijing at the same time is not only a chance to better foster a “friendlier” relationship among the three nations, but also to help strengthen regional stability.

Latest News

Japanese envoy to visit China to mend relations
The leader of Japan’s New Komeito party is scheduled to arrive in China on January 22 in a bid to mend relations.

China eyes stronger partnership with South Korea: foreign minister
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said during a meeting on January 21 with South Korean president-elect Park Geun-hye's special envoy Kim Moo-sung that China looks forward to a stronger partnership with the Republic of Korea (ROK).

South Korea's president-elect meets with special Chinese envoy
South Korea's president-elect Park Geun-hye met on January 17 with a special envoy from China, her aides said. It was the first such meeting since her election win in December last year.

Comments

On South Korean envoy visit to China

China	China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi: Yang said that China looks forward to a stronger partnership with South Korea. “Increasingly close and mature bilateral ties have not only brought substantial benefits to the two nations, but also made contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in East Asia.” Yang reiterated China's stance on Korean Peninsula-related issues, saying that China hopes South Korea and North Korea will grasp opportunities to achieve reconciliation and safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula.
S. Korea	South Korean president-elect Park Geun-hye’s special envoy Kim Moo-sung: Kim said his visit shows Park's sincerity in maintaining bilateral relations, and that South Korea is ready to further advance the partnership with China.
Expert	Ruan Zongze, deputy director of the China Institute of International Studies: South Korean president-elect Park Geun-hye tried to adopt a balanced diplomatic strategy by maintaining South Korea’s close relationship with the US and neighboring nations in Northeast Asia, for example China. Ruan also held that Park’s delegation might also aim to establish a free trade zone with China as with the US and the EU nations to advance its economy, which would depend highly on exports.

On Japanese envoy visit to China

Japan

Japan’s special envoy Natsuo Yamaguchi: Yamaguchi said his party has responsibilities to make efforts to restore Sino-Japan relations that have been damaged over territorial row, Japan's leading news agency Kyodo News said. Yamaguchi said both countries should improve the bilateral relations through an overall perspective.

Experts

Ye Qianrong, a special observer of Voice of China: Judging from the recent public speeches by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, and Natsuo Yamaguchi, the leader of Japan's New Komeito Party, we can guess this letter from Shinzo Abe to Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping may contain the following: First, an expression of how much Abe values Sino-Japanese relations. Second, how he wants to improve Sino-Japanese relations through high-level dialogues between the Chinese and Japanese governments. Hong Ling, a media commentator with China National Radio: Natsuo Yamaguchi’s visit to China is part of Abe’s strategy to show China that high-ranking leaders are making substantial efforts regarding the Diaoyu Islands only a month after Abe being elected Prime Minister.

On Northeast Asia

Hong Ling, a media commentator with China National Radio:

The economies of China, Japan and South Korea have developed rapidly. If they can maintain good relations, it would not only be mutually beneficial but also benefit the development of the international situation overall.

Both Japan and South Korea dispatched special envoys to China just as Abe came into power and Park Geun-hye was still president-elect. From this we can see that China and South Korea are coordinating and Japan is trying to break its diplomatic deadlock with China. But we must be aware that this is Japan’s doing. If Japan does not change its position and views, it will be difficult to break this deadlock.

Disputes

Over Diaoyu Islands

Jan. 21, 2013: China, Japan keeping communication on Diaoyu Islands A spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry said on January 21 that the country is maintaining communication with Japan on the Diaoyu Islands issue.
	Jan. 21, 2013: Chinese fleet monitors Japanese ships around Diaoyu Islands A Chinese marine surveillance fleet continued patrolling China's territorial waters around the Diaoyu Islands on January 21 and monitored Japanese ships that violated China's territorial waters. Jan. 20, 2013: China opposes US comments about Diaoyu Islands: spokesman China is firmly opposed to comments made by the United States about the Diaoyu Islands, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on January 20. Jan. 19, 2013: Chinese surveillance fleet patrol Diaoyu Islands A fleet of three Chinese marine surveillance ships continued to patrol territorial waters off China's Diaoyu Islands on January 19, according to the State Oceanic Administration (SOA). Jan. 15, 2013: China plans Diaoyu Islands mapping China is to survey the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea as part of a program of mapping its territorial islands and reefs, it was revealed on January 15.
	Jan. 20, 2013: Japan to amend national defense guidelines Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced that Japan will modify its National Defense Program Guidelines and initiate a midterm defense program, to bolster the country’s defensive capabilities. The announcement comes at a time when tensions are high with China over the disputed Diaoyu islands. Jan. 13, 2013: Japan launches military drill on island defense Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) launched a military drill on island defense in a training ground in the city of Narashino in Chiba Prefecture on January 13, 2013. January 9, 2013: Japan considers ‘warning shots’ on Chinese planes The Japanese government has been discussing how to enhance methods of interception in the wake of China's increasing maritime and air patrols in the waters off the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, and Japan might order its F-15J fighter jets to fire warning shots against Chinese surveillance planes, local media said on January 9, 2013.

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Over disputed islets known as Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan

Jan. 17, 2013: Top Japanese nuke envoy visits Seoul for talks Top Japanese negotiator for six- party denuclearization talks visited Seoul on January 17 to discuss coordination of policy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the foreign ministry said. Dec. 21, 2012: Japan: Abe scrambles to mend ties with S.Korea Japan's premier-in-waiting Shinzo Abe is scrambling to mend the country's relations with neighboring South Korea after a victory of Park Heun-hye in South Korea's presidential election. Dec. 3, 2012: Japan continues to provoke neighbors According to Chinese experts, as political turmoil continues in Japan, hawkish political views are prevailing, and the country is moving to the right. This is not new. Japan has denied war crimes and continues to provoke its neighbors in territorial disputes.

Jan. 4, 2013: S.Korea's president-elect meets with Japanese envoys South Korea's President-elect Park Geun-hye on January 4 met with a delegation dispatched by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Dec. 2, 2012: South Korea looks forward to furthering ties with China South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said he hoped the country's next administration and the new Chinese leadership would make efforts to further friendly relations between the two nations. Sept. 5, 2012: S.Korea stages defense drills near disputed islets South Korea staged drills in waters on September 5, 2012, near a set of islets at the center of a brewing diplomatic row between South Korea and Japan.

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