Chinese ambassador to Japan Wang Yi was full of confidence before the press who filled all the seats prepared for a press meeting, pointing out that Japanese leaders' visits to Yasukuni shrine were fully responsible for the current relationship which is characterized by the phrase that "the political relationship has cooled down while economic ties have heated up." He also said that if Japan wants to become a permanent member of the Security Council of the United States, it should take actions which secure the trust of neighboring countries.

This is the scene of the party, held in Tokyo last month, where journalists were invited by the ambassador, who is known as one of the future stars among Chinese diplomats. Wang is now 51 years old and is under the spot light as a figure who is well versed in Japan after Liao Chengzhi died. Wang obtained his reputation when he presided over the six-way meeting on North Korean issues. According to Chinese media, he is a new breed of diplomat who respects principle but takes a flexible stance in negotiations. The Japanese side also recognizes that he is a man who can bridge the two countries and is able to play the role of promoting mutual understanding and human exchanges.

In the past, Liao was the president of the Japan-China friendship association, and his famous human network with Japanese broke the ice that prevailed between the two countries at that time. Liao was an important figure in the normalization process of the relationship between the two countries. Wang has been his successor since he died twenty-one years ago. Beijing not only has high hopes for him but also explains that his assignment to Japan represents China's attachment of importance to Japan and to the future development of their relationship.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese representative Koh Se-kai is a diplomat whose background is completely different from Wang. He was once on a blacklist, went to Japan when he was thirty years old and obtained a doctoral degree from the Law Faculty of the University of Tokyo. Now he is seventy years old but he is very aggressive and energetic. When the party for Taiwan's national anniversary was held at the Hotel Okura, he showed his strength of having a wide human network in Japan before top Japanese leaders in politics and business. Koh, who comes from an independent group in Taiwan, is not a traditional type of diplomat. However, assigning him to Japan shows the great expectation of the Democratic Progress Party which does not have figures who are familiar with Japan.

Both of them came to Japan around the presidential election in Taiwan. This signifies their tactics toward Japan and also shows that their world strategy has entered into a new phase. Wang is a diplomat belonging to the new generation and well known in the arena of international politics. Koh is an influential figure in Taiwan and knows Japan very well. They are commanders on the diplomatic front line and the only difference between them is age.

Although Koh's influential power is large, it is not easy for him to carry out political activities on Japan. Wang is also expected to play the same kind of role. Diplomatic power differs between them. Although Taiwan is small, one has to understand the fact that small entities can do big things. Taiwan does not have many talented figures in dealing with Japan now, so it is necessary for Taiwan to take a long-term view and to prepare patiently in dealing with Japan. Even if such work takes 20 years, it would be worth spending such a long time on it.