China-Japan alliance a danger — Soviet Union

Press, 14 August 1978, Page 9

China-Japan alliance a danger — Soviet Union

NZPA-f tenter

Peking

Japan and China were an Asian mutual-admiration society yesterday after swt‘.eping away past differences by signing a treaty pledging peaceful and friendly relations.

Heaping pi aise on each other, they said the treaty was good for (both Asia and the world. But the Soirfet Union immediately disa greed and said the pact conflicted with detente and vc as a “treimendous dangis.r” to South--East Asia. The? Government ■of Taiwan reacted angrily, saying Japan ha;> marred the friendship be Ween Taipei and Tokyo.

Anticipating [Moscow's response, the Chanese Foreign Minister (Mr lluang Hua) said that the’ peace and friendship treaty.’ signed in Peking on Satuti day evening would be “welci imed by all the Asian pec»jde and by other countries' throughout the world who,* are bullied and undermined' by hegemony.”

Mr Huang watt clearly referring to Mose ow’s warnings to Japan ov«'r the years I not to sign a treaty that -condemned hegemony — the (domination of an area by lone country. The anti-hegemony clause (was the stumbfhi g block to

conclusion of the treaty that I 1 took six years to negotiate. The two giants of Asia I: finally agreed a few days ago to declare that neither would seek hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region or any other part of the world aijd that each opposed efforts by others to do so. But they also inserted a clause saying that the treaty would not affect the position of either country in its relations with other nations, Taiwan reacted angrily, and said that it considered the treaty “null and void.” The Central News Agency, quoting the Taiwanese Foreign Minister (Mr Shen Chang-huan) said the Tokyo Government should “bear the full responsibility” for any damage done to Taipei by signing the treaty. The statement said that it considered the treaty “null and void” because the Peking Government “has no right whatsoever to represent the Chinese people.” It also contended that' Japan, by signing the treaty, (i “has seriously marred” theii friendship between Taipei I

land Tokyo and that Japan : “shall bear the full responsibility” for any damage

I j done to the Taiwanese Gov-| I ernment and people. ; i I At a press conference 1 .

after the signing of the 1 treaty in Peking, the Japanese Foreign Minister (Mr Simao Sonoda) said that Chinese leaders had indicated to him that they would next year scrap the 1950 Sino-Soviet treaty of friendship and alliance which describes Japan as “the common enemy." Mr Sonoda said: "It is my strong impression from my meetings with the Chinese leaders that the Government of China will take necessarymeasures to terminate this (Sino-Soviet) treaty in April, next year.” Chinese officials have repeatedly told Japanese visitors that the MoscowPeking treaty, due to expire in 1980, now existed in name only and “is dead in substance.” Mr Sonoda said those views, which had previously been expressed unofficially, had now been ' officially confirmed by Peking. 1 The treaty signing followied a fresh round of negotia(tions that began in Peking on July 21, but w’hich were Ideadlocked a few days ago.