While China and Japan are trying to work out some of their differences, the last thing we want is for Chinese to hold the views expressed by Albert Ho Chun-yan in his article 'A history of insincere apologies' (May 18).
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi made an apology in April for the suffering his nation's past aggression caused Asian people. This is not good enough for Mr Ho. This small-minded thinking, if adopted by the majority of the Chinese people, will prevent future good co-operation between the two governments.
Wars are terrible. If we want to describe the graphic details of the Sino-Chinese war in history textbooks, it will only incite hatred and unhappiness between the two countries in future. What is important is that Japan's history textbooks state that the country did not have the right to station troops in Manchuria. The excuse used by the new textbook that the troops were there to protect Japanese citizens is not justifiable. Japan's textbooks should also acknowledge that Japan was the aggressor in the incidents which started the Sino-Japanese war, rather than being provoked to react by 'unknown persons' shooting at its troops, as stated in the new textbook.
With these two facts correctly stated, I think Chinese people should let the other aspects of 'beautifying history' in Japanese textbooks go. What is important is that future generations of both countries learn that wars are horrible, and what took place in the Sino-Japanese war should never happen again.
Another sticking point is Mr Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine. It is best that the Chinese people let this one go. Sure there are war criminals buried there. But they are judged so only because Japan finished on the losing side. No matter what, these Japanese war criminals 'tried their best to serve their country, and gave their lives while doing so'. Would we never forgive the dead?
Can Chinese people shake away our 'forever the victim' neurosis? It is only when they can let go of past wrongs by Japan that the two countries can move forward. Instead of forever demanding apologies and compensation, it is time to let bygones be bygones.
