China Japan Photo: IC

Ahead of the 20th Beijing-Tokyo Forum scheduled to open on Wednesday, a public opinion survey on China-Japan relations was released which shows that economic and trade cooperation remains the "ballast and driving force" of bilateral ties, with a majority of respondents from both countries viewing each other as important economic partners.

The survey was jointly conducted by the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration and Genron NPO, an independent think tank from Japan. 

Survey results show that 51.8 percent of Chinese respondents and 58 percent of Japanese respondents value the other country as a major global economy and an important trade partner. 

Issue of Diaoyu Islands and Fukushima nuclear contaminated water are among the most concerning topics for Chinese respondents affecting China-Japan relations, the survey shows. Issue of Diaoyu Islands is viewed as the main reason for their negative impression of Japan, which stands at 45.5 percent.

The survey reflects the growing influence of China-US relations on ties between China and Japan, as Japanese respondents called for a more balanced and neutral foreign policy. 

In response to the deepening ties of the US-Japan alliance, 62.2 percent of Japanese respondents believe that Japan should not take sides between China and the US, far exceeding the proportion of those who chose to "place more emphasis on the US," which stood at 18.7 percent.

Under the Abe and Kishida administrations, Tokyo took a tough stance on China, leading to bilateral relations dropping to a low point. With the recent rebound in ties, the latest opinion poll indicates that there remains an optimistic attitude among the public, Lü Chao, an expert on the East Asian studies at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Lü anticipates accelerated regional economic cooperation, such as advancing the China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, and improved bilateral relations through building trust and dispelling doubts.

The poll is part of the Beijing-Tokyo Forum, which has been successfully held 19 times since its inception in 2005, making it one of the largest and highest-level platforms for public diplomacy and civil exchange between China and Japan, Chinanews.com reported on Monday.

The 20th edition of the forum will take place in Tokyo from Wednesday to Thursday under the theme of "Restoring peace and rebuilding a global order based on multilateral cooperation through Japan-China cooperation," according to the website of Genron NPO, one of the organizers.  

The forum will be attended by dozens of current and former senior officials from the two sides, according to the panelist list on the website. The Chinese side includes Foreign Minister and Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Wang Yi who will attend the event online, as well as Lou Jiwei, former minister of finance, Yi Gang, former governor of the People's Bank of China, and Cui Tiankai, former vice foreign minister who also served ambassadors to the US and to Japan.

"The forum is an important platform for enhancing mutual trust between China and Japan, especially at this critical moment of stabilizing ties. Its role is highly anticipated, especially around key issues that need to be addressed - how to properly handle the discharge of radioactive wastewater, strengthen communication on the Taiwan question and South China Sea issue, as well as deepen economic and trade cooperation," Lü said.

"These issues demand immediate attention from both parties. If Japan can navigate them effectively, the barriers in China-Japan relations could be significantly reduced," the expert noted.