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China leader on visit to Japan
BBC:Chinese President Hu Jintao is set to begin a five-day state visit to Japan, the first such trip in a decade
This Japanese company makes diggers. One in ten is sold to the Chinese. It expects its sales to China will grow 16-fold within 3 years, such is the pace of Chinese growth. But the boss says Beijing’s influence doesn’t end there.
Countries that produce the resources China needs, like Russia, South Africa, Indonesia and Brazil are using the money they have made to invest in their own infrastructure. That helps to increase demand for our machines, so China’s economic growth is hugely important to them and to us.
China became Japan’s largest trading partner last year, overtaking the United States. Cheap Chinese-made goods have lowered prices in the shops here, boosting profits for the firms that sell them. But many in Japan worry that China’s exporting its problems too. Poisoned Chinese dumplings were blamed for a spate of illnesses recently. Look at these labels making clear where these herbs come from. In this case, Japan. And on this sign up here, reassuring people that none of the produce in this cabinet comes from China. Such is the level of concern about safety of Chinese-made products. Shoppers seem skeptical that enough is being done to protect them. The rowover dumplings is leading some people here to question Japan’s relationship with its powerful neighbor.
China has been the superpower now, I think all the governments are afraid to offend them. But then, you know, you have to worry about domestic, you know, like voters that who has(have) to have their own concerns. So they have to play delicate juggling act. But nonetheless, you know, people’s health comes first.
Could poisoned dumplings sour this relationship? It’s possible. Both countries' leaders pledged cooperation to find a corporate. But so far, little progress. Tibet is another difficult issue. China’s supporters were out in force when Japan hosted the Olympic torch, urging people here not to interfere.
Hu Jintao’s visit is, was scheduled to be the final stage of improvement of the relationship which became worsened under the time of Koizumi. But we had trouble over the dumpling issue and then of course the Tibet issue. So these have posed us very new difficult challenges.
There are problems, though, the shared history between the two countries presents difficulties that people in Japan and China are unwilling to put aside.
To me, more difficulty lies in the perception of Chinese people over international order, and they still have a tendency to think the international order in a hierarchical terms, China top and followed by such countries.
Chinese Prime Minister has described his own meetings with Japanese leaders as helping to break the ice. Now both sides will be hoping the president’s visit will ensure that thaw continues.
Chris Hogg, BBC News, Tokyo.
juggling act: a difficult situation in which you are trying to do several things at the same time
thaw: To become warm enough for snow and ice to melt. If something thaws relations between people or if relations thaw, they become friendly again after a period of being unfriendly.
