On 12 August 1978, Japan and the People’s Republic of China sign the Treaty of Peace and Friendship — the instrument consolidating the 1972 normalisation and committing both states to non-aggression and developing relations.

The treaty includes an anti-hegemony clause aimed implicitly at Soviet influence, amid the Cold War in Asia.

Signed in Beijing by the foreign ministers, it complements the 1972 Joint Communiqué and opens an era of Sino-Japanese economic cooperation.

Entry into force: 23 October 1978. It remains a pillar of bilateral relations despite later tensions over history and territory.

For East Asian diplomacy, 12 August 1978 marks the signing of the Japan–China peace and friendship treaty.

The official text is published by Japan’s MOFA / Chinese archives.

The Japan–China Treaty of 12 August 1978 remains the milestone of bilateral peace and friendship after normalisation.

Image: China / Japan; Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China. Treaty text: Treaty of Peace and Friendship (MOFA Japan).