BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- A Chinese expert has called for China and Japan to prevent bilateral ties from deteriorating further in order to avoid harming both countries.

    "If things stay as they are, China-Japan relations will inevitably worsen," said Feng Zhaokui, a research fellow with the Institute of Japanese Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the country's think tank.

    In an article carried in the Global Times newspaper, Feng urgedJapan to make efforts to improve bilateral relations.

    He said Japanese Prime Minister Junishiro Koizumi's visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine undermined the political relations between China and Japan, leading to failed cooperation in some issues that should have been carried out and disputes which should have been avoided.

    According to the Western realism theories, Japan feels strong pressure from the development of China due to geo-political concerns, Feng explained. He predicted that the advocacy of the "China threat" by some Japanese right-wing groups and Japan's traditional strong sense of crisis, together with the disputes between the two countries over history issues, will lead to a long-term political stagnation.

    However, he noted that China and Japan have many common interests in trade, environmental protection, regional cooperationand other fields. The rapid growth of bilateral ties after China and Japan normalized diplomatic relations in 1972 had brought huge benefits to the two countries and their people.

    The fact is that peace will benefit both countries and strife will cut both ways, Feng said, warning that, as many have predicted, if China and Japan fall foul of each other, the biggest victim will be the two countries themselves. Enditem