China signals eagerness for united front with S Korea against Japan

BEIJING — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in a phone conversation with his South Korean counterpart on Wednesday, signaled Beijing's eagerness for a united front with Seoul against Japan on historical issues, at a time of strained Sino-Japanese relations.

The call between Wang and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, announced in a statement from China's Foreign Ministry, took place ahead of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's four-day visit to China from Sunday. Lee is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the trip.

According to a Xinhua News Agency report following the statement, Wang told Cho that "certain political forces in Japan" are attempting to "reverse the course of history and whitewash the crimes of aggression and colonialism," adding that China believes South Korea will "uphold a responsible attitude toward history."

The report also said Wang reminded Cho of the importance of adhering to the "one-China" principle, the idea that the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government of China, and that Taiwan is part of it.

The diplomatic overtures come amid a hard-line Chinese stance toward Japan following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks in November suggesting an attack on Taiwan could elicit a response involving Japanese defense forces in support of the United States.

Recent Chinese commentary often characterizes the new government under Takaichi, known for her hawkish views on security, as seeking to revive Japan's wartime militarism.

In the phone talks, Wang also described China-South Korea relations as having returned to the "right track" under Xi and Lee, the report said.

Ties between Beijing and Seoul had worsened under Lee's predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who was ousted last year. Lee, a progressive, was elected president in June.

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