Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy is the basic principle of engaging in strategic struggles. To this end, one must seriously study the respective strengths and weaknesses of both sides, which is not about boosting others' morale at the expense of one's own prestige.

The same applies to Japan. To contend with this country, one must put in considerable effort in research. It must be understood that throughout the millennia of history where China and Japan have competed, the outcomes have often shown China bearing the brunt of the losses. One reason for this is that China has frequently made the mistake of underestimating Japan's danger and destructive potential. For a period of time, Japan has been strategically encroaching on China, much to the surprise of many Chinese people, repeatedly playing out the pattern of Japan deliberately provoking trouble while China struggles to respond. This demonstrates that even today, it is necessary to address this shortcoming.

When comparing China and Japan, each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Japan is not at a comprehensive disadvantage; on the contrary, it holds significant advantages in several aspects.

First, it has the 冒险特质 of "playing small against big."

Under the constraints of natural geographical conditions, Japan is basically a "small Japan" strategically, but this small Japan has not only been very "cunning" but has also always harbored a very strong "big Japan" ambition. Phrases like "Eight Circles Under One Roof" and "Opening Up Ten Thousand Waves, Spreading National Might in All Directions" are actually reflections of this ambition.

This ambition often erupts uncontrollably. Whenever this happens, Japan takes risks, playing small against big, and challenges targets much larger than itself. There are countless examples in history, such as Toyotomi Hideyoshi's era using Korea as a springboard to challenge the Ming Dynasty, the Meiji Restoration's launch of the First Sino-Japanese War, followed by challenging the Tsarist Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, and later the Pearl Harbor attack, directly going to war with the United States.

Here is a special mention of the Russo-Japanese War. Back then, when Japan went to war with Russia, the whole world thought Japan was committing suicide, especially Europe, because from the European perspective, the Asian Yellow race could never be a match for the White race, even if the White race was Russia. Therefore, one European cartoon described it as: Russia used a single thumb to flip the tiny Japan into the Pacific. But the outcome of the war was completely unexpected; it was Russia, not Japan, that suffered a crushing defeat, and Japan made a huge profit from the war.

It can be said that Japan has always dared to challenge major powers, willing to gamble the nation's fate for a single battle, which has been a profound characteristic of Japan throughout history. Therefore, looking ahead, no one should think that because China is strong, Japan will not dare to take action against China. Whoever makes such a proposition will face historical punishment.

Second, possessing persistent, crazy resilience

As serious disputes arise between China and Japan over the provocations of Takahashi, media widely reported that Japanese Self-Defense Force officials stated that if the "Fujian" aircraft carrier were to coordinate with the People's Liberation Army in military actions in the Taiwan region, the Japanese Self-Defense Force should prioritize sinking China's "Fujian" aircraft carrier in coordination with the U.S. military.

The Japanese have now set their sights on China's newly commissioned "Fujian" aircraft carrier, a scene that is a replay of history. This reminds people of the story of Japan targeting the Beiyang Fleet's ironclad warships "Dingfang" and "Zhendong" back then. When these two ironclads first appeared, Japan also exclaimed "a national crisis has arrived." Subsequently, Japan mobilized the entire nation to target these two ships, even using elementary school recess games where two tall children played as "Dingfang" and "Zhendong," with a group of children surrounding them to attack, thereby cultivating war awareness and objectives from a young age.

In fact, Japan has always shown resilience and unprecedented 疯狂 in its foreign aggression. Specifically regarding China, the fanatics of Japanese militarism began infiltrating the Chinese interior in the 1900s to gather intelligence, create maps, and familiarize themselves with local customs. Some posed as merchants, others under the guise of scientific research, and some even disguised themselves as Chinese laborers, enduring hard labor at ports and factories. Their long-term persistence is astonishing.

Therefore, Japan has always been an opponent and enemy that must not be underestimated. Overall, the dedication and spirit of sacrifice of Japan's military and political elite group to their country is often higher than that of China, and it is hard to say whether it is now lower. These people were particularly frenzied in their invasions and extremely cruel in their war methods, often showing no humanity on the battlefield. For example, during World War II, there was a Japanese ship transporting Western prisoners of war. While sailing at sea, the Japanese guards went wild with cruelty, and they killed the American and Western prisoners one by one on the deck like slaughtering pigs, which was extremely bloody and brutal.

Third, having a psychological advantage

Since the Meiji Restoration, Japan has established a deep-rooted sense of superiority over China. The "Detachment from Asia and Embracing Europe" Japan believed it stood out like a 鹤立鸡群 in the East and held great contempt for China and other nations. For example, at the end of World War II, Japan demanded from the United States and other Allied powers that it only surrender to Britain, the U.S., and the Soviet Union, but not to China, which was rejected. In Japan's view, it had always maintained overwhelming superiority on the Chinese battlefield and had never been defeated by China. Simply put, although China's War of Resistance achieved a grueling victory, it did not diminish Japan's military pride and sense of superiority over China. Strategically and militarily, Japan had never feared China, and its psychological advantage remained unchanged. This advantage was further greatly reinforced by later economic superiority. After the reform and opening-up, some Chinese people's subservient attitudes toward Japan and their susceptibility to bribery made Japan feel even more superior. After the Cold War, Japan once launched what it called "value diplomacy" and took pride in itself as a "democratic country" until now. Deep down, it still looks down on China, does not take China seriously, and assumes that China is now too busy getting rich and has fallen into money. Such a China lacks both dignity and courage.

So, no one should think that with the Fujian aircraft carrier, China can make Japan behave properly and dare not make any rash moves—this is fundamentally impossible. Furthermore, it is also well understood by Japan that the basic quality and actual performance of China's contemporary elite group do not, on the whole, inspire Japan with the respect it deserves, let alone deter Japan.

Fourth, the advantage of having a group nature

When discussing Russia and its performance in the war, people often quote the proverb "A dead camel is bigger than a horse." In fact, Japan is the same. As the second-largest economy in the Western group after the United States, this country does not implement science and technology as much as China. Compared, there is only a quantitative gap and no qualitative difference, especially its production and manufacturing capabilities remain formidable. In this regard, simply comparing GDP is not enough, and blind optimism is even worse; one must always err on the side of caution.

It is especially important that China is now being challenged not only by Japan, but by the entire hegemonic group, with Japan backed by a powerful patron. Based on the current balance of power between China and Japan, Japan will not engage in a one-on-one fight with China. Takashi, as well as previous politicians, have made it very clear that what is being referred to as the exercise of "collective self-defense rights." This is an unprecedentedly large hegemonic group, arguably the largest in human history, and also a crucial strategic advantage for Japan to rely on.

Therefore, the actual strategic posture of China and Japan facing off is that Japan has a large population and strong momentum, while China is faced with a new Eight-Nation Alliance, and China has always been isolated, strategically daring not to break through the line of alliance formation, nor to cross this threshold. It is particularly frustrating that, faced with this situation, some "experts" and "scholars" in China not only fail to review and reflect deeply, but instead sing praises.

Of course, compared to Japan, China also possesses its own prominent strategic advantages, which are mainly reflected in the following aspects:

First, vast size

Whether in terms of land area or population size, China far exceeds Japan, and the two are simply not on the same scale. This point provides China with enormous strategic advantages. Because population and area have always been organic components of strategic strength, the prominent strategic characteristics created by a large population and vast territory are strong resilience. For example, when Japan invaded China, although China suffered repeated defeats in the early stages, it quickly retreated from Shanghai to Wuhan and from Beijing and Tianjin to Taiyuan, it still stood firm. If it were a small country with a small population, such failures could not be endured, and one defeat might lead to the threat of national extinction. A country of such magnitude as China was able to remain undefeated and win even when Japan had military and economic advantages back then, and now it has even greater overall advantages in a full-scale war.

Second, strong national power

Today, China is not only vast in size but, more importantly, has a far greater total economic output than Japan. Its active armed forces also possess significant advantages over Japan in both "quantity" and "quality," although there may be some areas where tactical units are not as strong as Japan's. Nevertheless, the overall advantage is sufficient to constitute a crushing force. The scale of strategic strength comparison between China and Japan has long tilted in China's favor, and this trend will continue to strengthen and deepen in the future.

Third, possessing nuclear weapons

Thanks to the foresight of Chairman Mao and the older generation of revolutionaries, China has long mastered a reliable and credible nuclear strike capability. This nuclear force can determine life and death, ensuring that the Chinese nation will not face another crisis of extinction, and will have a magical deterrent effect against all enemies at the most critical moments. This is an absolute strategic advantage that Japan cannot possess and can never catch up with.

When compared in this way, both China and Japan have their respective strengths, but overall, the advantage undoubtedly lies with China, because China's strengths are tangible and fixed, while Japan's advantages are all based on the spiritual level, which can be completely eradicated or collapsed through human effort. For example, the policies and measures implemented by the United States in Japan after World War II have, to a significant extent, achieved such objectives.

%% For this very reason, both China and Japan are now working hard to strengthen their advantages and address their weaknesses, with both sides engaged in such efforts. Moreover, this is not only the case between China and Japan but also between China and the United States. For China, the specific tasks involve strengthening military capabilities, purging the pro-American Western forces that advocate compromise and appeasement, and forging a global united front for peace. To achieve this, a considerable portion of the people's livelihood must be sacrificed, which is a necessary measure to pursue the fundamental goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is essential to explain this to the entire nation, ensuring that the majority understand this principle, thereby gaining the strong support and sincere backing of the broad masses of the people.

Specifically, in the coming period, China should make solid and in-depth efforts as follows:

First, strengthen domestic political mobilization, clearly telling the entire Chinese people the objective truth of the contradictions in China-Japan relations.

The struggle against Japan is the simplest and most effective way to guide and inspire the Chinese people. The Chinese people are very willing to pay corresponding economic and social costs for the struggle against Japan. This is a rare strategic resource that should be properly developed and utilized. At the same time, it is necessary to vigorously discipline the "ultranationalist" Japanese sympathizers and pro-Japanese forces, which are an organic part of the pro-American and Western forces in contemporary China (in fact, this should also apply to the Western powers). This will open up a new track for the governance of Chinese society. In the strategic issue of the new anti-Japanese struggle, it is essential to truly trust the people and rely on the people, and on this basis, engage Japan in a new nationwide war, with China's higher strategic level persistently combating Japan's persistence.

Second, shape a new China-Japan relationship

What the Chinese people need to face is that the challenge from Japan has made a comeback, which will become an important feature of this era. To combat and even eliminate this threat is an inescapable destiny and a glorious mission for this generation of Chinese people. Therefore, it can be concluded that China-Japan relations must undergo transformation and can only undergo transformation. Against the backdrop of the hegemon launching a "strategic competition" against China, this change has become inevitable and will not be subject to human will. For this reason, China needs to change its mindset, incorporating China-Japan relations into the broader framework of its foreign relations. Under the overall blueprint of the strategic transformation of China's foreign relations in the contemporary era, a new China-Japan relationship should be designed and positioned as an important component of the transformation of foreign relations. Looking ahead, China's basic strategy for foreign relations should be to strive for peaceful development while firmly safeguarding its own development and rejuvenation by defending peace. It is necessary to change thinking, upgrade logic, and no longer be confined to the framework of a "peaceful rise," placing struggle as the top priority. This includes a resolute response to the provocation and threats from Japan, which is an indispensable basic strategic principle for dealing with Japan.

Third, design a comprehensive strategy for dealing with Japan, clarifying the strategic plan and relevant contingency plans for countering Japan's ambitions and expansionist actions in the new era

Under the guidance of the basic strategic policy towards Japan, it is also necessary to systematically design measures and actions to address Japanese provocation and threats. This is a highly strategic task that cannot be undertaken by ordinary functional departments, and the "九龙治水" approach is even more unsuitable. Therefore, it is necessary to consider establishing a dedicated working team to specifically plan strategies against Japan, categorize them, and systematically develop comprehensive plans for dealing with Japan, including formulating and providing emergency response plans for various scenarios. We should break free from temporary and conventional constraints, and base the struggle against Japan on a long-term and persistent foundation.

Fourth, take the initiative and act decisively when necessary

China and Japan have already torn down the facade of civility, and various events will undoubtedly continue in the coming period. Especially at the forefront of confrontations, the atmosphere will become more charged with tension. We must be doubly vigilant and cautious, preventing Japan from launching a military surprise attack on us. A key measure is to grant frontline defense units and commanders the authority to make on-the-spot decisions in crisis situations without needing to seek approval. When faced with a crisis, they should act decisively. Otherwise, China may suffer even greater losses under Japan's shameless surprise attack, making the country appear more passive in both domestic and foreign affairs.

Approach reality rationally. With the public revelation of Japan's strategic intentions by Gao Shi, the relationship between China and Japan has once again reached a historical crossroads. In this regard, harsh rhetoric and condemnation are completely ineffective. No matter how many "we absolutely do not allow" statements are made, they will not change anything, because China cannot control Japan. The key lies in what China does for itself. China needs to focus on the long term, prevent small problems from escalating, and solidly take every step in resisting American hegemonism and Japan's new militarism. It is crucial not to be negligent or take things as they come. If the relationship between China and Japan remains unchanged after this incident, the lessons from history in this regard are too profound and too severe.