Two weeks in China have left me deeply disturbed about the nation's future relations with Japan. A smooth and co-operative Sino-Japanese relationship is essential to regional peace, stability and prosperity. Yet, increasing interaction has generated as many irritants as insights into the other country.
I am not sure that increased contact will create the understanding needed to build that relationship, but increasing integration will help. As in a boxing match, it is harder to punch while in a clinch.
At the level of high politics, the relationship is solid. The two leaderships (from the prime ministers down) have regular meetings.
At the grassroots level, the numbers are encouraging. Last year, 2.25 million visitors (of China's 7.26 million Asian tourists) came from Japan, making it the No1 source of tourists. About 452,000 Chinese visited Japan in 2002.
Economic relations are positive. Chinese statistics show that the trade volume between the two nations topped US$130 billion last year, an increase of 30.4 per cent from the previous year, and two-way trade is expected to exceed US$150 billion this year, marking six years of continuous growth.
Yet for each of these positive signs, there is a disturbing 'other side of the coin'. Despite growing exchanges and grassroots' efforts, the two publics have negative impressions of the other. One survey last year showed that 28.4 per cent of Japanese think relations with China are good or very good; 31.5 per cent think they are bad or very bad, and 30.4 per cent could not judge (the remainder did not answer).
Another found that 93.1 per cent of Chinese internet users do not like Japan. Similarly, the most negative attitude towards China is found among young Japanese, who are increasingly resentful of Chinese efforts to assume the moral high ground on every issue.