The Making of the Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty

Abstract

Q N AUGUST 12, 1978, the People's Republic of China and Japan signed a treaty of peace and friendship in Peking. The treaty was profusely acclaimed by both sides. Chinese Premier Hua Kuofeng pointed out its great importance for the promotion of goodneighborly and friendly relations between China and Japan, and Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda Takeo stated that the treaty was a great contribution not only to the future of the two countries but also to the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world.' An atmosphere of euphoria marked the treaty's successful conclusion, the ultimate culmination of the Chou-Tanaka joint statement of 1972, which had normalized diplomatic relations between China and Japan. Even though the treaty itself did not directly involve any major legal obligations or commitments on either side, it certainly created a new political environment for closer Chinese-Japanese cooperation in various areas. Yet the treaty did not come into existence through a simple and easy diplomatic accommodation. It took almost four years for China and Japan to conduct an intermittent, tortuous, and delicate dialogue, until they found a compromise solution to their conflicting positions. My article is designed to discuss (1) the development of each country's conditions, perceptions, and policies which hindered serious treaty negotiations until 1978; (2) the specific processes of diplomatic