中文
By Zhang Heling
China and Japan retain significant potential for economic cooperation in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and regional integration amid shifts in the global economy and supply chains, participants at a recent Center for China and Globalization (CCG) luncheon said.
The event, held under the theme "Economic Cooperation Between Japan and China in a Changing World," brought together scholars, business representatives and ambassadors to discuss the challenges facing bilateral economic ties and explore new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.
Mitsuaki Hoshino, director general of the Beijing office of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), said that despite serious challenges in bilateral relations in recent years, the two economies remain deeply interdependent.
He called on both sides to seek common interests and areas of cooperation while recognizing their differences, and expressed hope that the discussions would offer fresh perspectives on bilateral and international economic cooperation.
Zhang Jifeng, former deputy director of the Institute of Japanese Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said economic and trade cooperation continued to provide a stabilizing foundation for bilateral relations. He noted that bilateral trade was evolving toward a more sophisticated structure, with horizontal specialization increasing alongside competition. He emphasized that fair competition could promote economic development while warning that businesses on both sides should avoid destructive competition.
Given the size and long-term potential of China's market, Zhang said, Japanese companies should take a long-term view and continue exploring opportunities in the country.
The changing global trade environment was another major focus. Fukunari Kimura, president of JETRO's Institute of Developing Economies, examined how tariffs and trade diversion are reshaping international trade flows and production networks. When tariffs restrict access to a particular market, he explained, companies may redirect goods to third countries or relocate investment and reorganize production across borders to maintain market access. Kimura's analysis highlighted the growing importance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in regional supply chains. Both China and Japan have close economic ties with ASEAN members, and trade and investment flows in the region are increasingly being reconfigured. These developments create opportunities for regional cooperation, he said, but also pose challenges for industries in third countries as import competition intensifies.
Against this backdrop, participants discussed how China and Japan could move beyond earlier patterns of industrial cooperation. Yusaku Nishimura, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics, said China's upgraded manufacturing capabilities and rapid advances in digital technologies had transformed the core of bilateral economic relations. Cooperation, he argued, could evolve from a traditional vertical division of labor toward a more equal partnership in which enterprises combine their strengths to create new value.
He cited emerging cooperation in the automotive sector as an example, where Chinese companies can contribute technological capabilities while Japanese partners offer knowledge of Japanese consumer preferences, established sales networks and after-sales service. Such collaboration could help businesses address market-specific challenges and develop products tailored to Japanese consumers, he said, stressing that competition and cooperation were not mutually exclusive.
Takamoto Suzuki, general manager and chief economist at Marubeni (China), a unit of the Japanese trading house, placed bilateral cooperation in the broader context of mounting geopolitical and trade tensions. As comprehensive multilateral cooperation becomes more difficult, he argued, strengthening existing regional mechanisms and frameworks such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), ASEAN Plus Three and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) could help sustain economic engagement.
Suzuki also emphasized the importance of addressing differing perceptions and misgivings and strengthening business and people-to-people exchanges. Although the two economies are complementary, he said, biased narratives and misperceptions can influence corporate decisions and limit investment flows. Sustained dialogue and practical cooperation are therefore essential to building trust, he added.
The discussions highlighted both the structural challenges and the emerging opportunities in China-Japan economic cooperation. As global trade patterns evolve and technological change accelerates, participants said, maintaining open economic ties, managing competition responsibly and identifying shared interests will be key to unlocking the potential of bilateral cooperation and supporting regional development.
