At the 13th World Peace Forum in Beijing on the Chinese mainland, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama delivered a stirring keynote calling for a new era of East Asian unity and independence in foreign policy.
As a seven-time participant known for promoting Sino-Japanese friendship, Hatoyama warned that despite its past influence, the United States can no longer sustain its traditional role as global leader. 'America has changed, and it can't go back,' he noted, urging nations to rethink protectionist tariffs that hamper trade and stability.
Rejecting both unconditional alignment and confrontation with the United States, he championed a 'third path' of autonomy – especially in foreign policy – and urged accelerated trilateral cooperation with China and South Korea. He proposed a swift summit of Japan, China and South Korea leaders and tangible progress toward a high-standard trilateral free trade agreement built on RCEP.
He explicitly endorsed key Chinese foreign policy initiatives by urging Japan to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and participate in Belt and Road projects, marking a sharp departure from its current stance.
Highlighting regional security, Hatoyama stressed that avoiding conflict in the Taiwan Strait is vital, declaring that 'Taiwan is China's internal affair' and urging Japan to oppose any moves toward 'independence.'
He also warned against weaponizing democratic values in diplomacy, arguing that labeling others fosters division. His 'fraternity' philosophy calls for mutual respect and understanding over ideological confrontation.
The forum, co-hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Tsinghua University, provided the stage for these proposals.
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Former Japanese PM calls for East Asian unity at World Peace Forum
cgtn.com
