INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama called for enhanced East Asian cooperation and diplomatic independence from the United States
in his keynote address delivered on Thursday at the 13th World Peace Forum held at Tsinghua University in Beijing.Hatoyama, a seven-time
forum participant known for promoting Sino-Japanese friendship, argued that the U.S., facing internal divisions and a relative economic
decline, could no longer sustain its traditional global leadership role
"America has changed, and it can't go back," he stated, warning that protectionist policies like tariff wars harm global trade and
stability.Criticizing Japan's historical reliance on Washington, Hatoyama rejected both unconditional alignment and confrontation with the
Instead, he championed the third path – ​​strengthening autonomy,​​ particularly in foreign policy
Achieving this, he stressed, necessitates ​close collaboration within East Asia, specifically urging accelerated trilateral
cooperation with China and South Korea
He called for a swift Japan-China-South Korea leaders' summit and concrete progress towards a high-standard trilateral free trade agreement,
building upon the existing Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) framework.Hatoyama explicitly endorsed key Chinese foreign
policy initiatives, urging Japan to ​join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)​​ and participate in Belt and
Road projects – positions contrasting sharply with Japan's current stance
He emphasized that avoiding conflict in the Taiwan Straits is vital for Japan's security and regional peace, unequivocally stating that
​​"Taiwan is China's internal affair,"​​ and Japan should oppose any moves toward "independence."He further
criticized the weaponization of democratic values in international relations, warning that labeling others based on different values fosters
Hatoyama's "fraternity" philosophy advocates mutual respect and understanding over ideological confrontation.The forum is co-hosted by the
Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Tsinghua University.
