Russia is not political alignment with Japan but its people view Japan positively.
Russia doesn't have a particular problem with Japan like China and Korea do. Russians took territories from Japan with Japan barking for them back and Russia just says, no, I don't even acknowledge your request. I would say that their political alignment is only indirectly negative through China, but directly, Japan dares cause no issues to Russia. Russia is a big country that has absolutely no fear of Japan and this lack of fear/alarm makes a positive image possible. China cannot benefit from that because China is on everybody's number 1 priority in the US camp. Japan bloody hates Russia though, but it is a small man's hate as he dates do nothing but let it simmer.
Same political relationship back and forth (indirectly mildly negative) but the little guy hates and fears the big guy while the big guy doesn't feel threatened and doesn't hate the little guy. With China's neighbors, China is always the big guy. Indeed, there are some small countries with serious fear and dislike to China but Chinese people don't particularly dislike them. It's not soft power; it's the hard power dynamic that makes China relaxed and those countries nervous/scared.
It is not simply turning political foe to become ally but at least being neutral. You don't need to hate or like someone, just being neutral is fine.
And being neutral is rooted in political neutrality, modified only slightly by what you do. Decisions are made on interest, never on fuzzy feelings.
At least they talk, better than rather tense situation right now. A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step.
At least they talk??? You went from almost reunified to talking? You have no shame moving the goalpost, do you?
You are comparing people with different qualifications and intellect.
Different qualifications but they talk within thier qualifications. Intellect? Do you have IQ test results? Cus they all sound stupid and full of crap to me.
Wrong if using your definition.
The correct one and the only one that can be substantiated by reason.
Then do a point-to-point like me and don't answer large paragraphs with cheap meaningless one-liners.
but you seem don't want to understand, US and Europe are culturally almost the same. Culture is one factor of soft power.
I agree, and that puts you in a dead end, doesn't it? Are you trying to change Chinese culture to be Western or change Western culture to be Chinese?
This will be my last post discussing this topic. I give up.
That's already pretty long for someone to insist on a demonstrably wrong idea already. Don't feel like a quitter.