Chinese Defense Minister Cao
Gangchuan urged the Japanese government Wednesday to take
measures to solve the issue of chemical weapons abandoned by
Japanese invaders in China during World War II.
Cao, also vice chairman of the
Central Military Commission and a state councilor, made the
appeal during talks with Director General of Japan's Defense Agency
Ishiba Shigeru, who arrived in China Monday for a four-day
visit.
The chemical weapons left behind by Japanese invaders still pose
a serious threat to Chinese people's safety and living environment,
Cao said.
China hopes the Japanese government pay high attention to the
issue and take concrete and appropriate measures to solve it as
soon as possible, he said.
Ishiba said the Japanese side will maintain close contact with
China on the issue and continue to deal with it with sincerity so
as to solve it properly.
Cao said the majority of China-Japan relations are going well
currently and the two sides have close exchanges in official and
non-official sectors.
He said the economic and trade cooperation between China and
Japan grew very fast in recent years, and bilateral coordination
and cooperation in regional and international affairs were also
improved.
China is willing to work together with Japan to further explore
friendly and cooperative ties, he said.
However, Cao noted historical problems are unavoidable in
handling China-Japan relations.
Those issues, including Japanese senior officials' visits to
Yasukuni Shrine, Japanese history textbooks, forced Chinese
laborers and wartime comfort women, not only affect China-Japan
political ties but also harm the relations between the two peoples,
especially Chinese people's feelings, Cao said.
Ishiba said the Japanese government has reflected on and
apologized for the damages that Japan brought to other countries
during its colonialist rule and aggression.
He said Japan is willing to improve exchanges and cooperation
with China in all fields, which, he believed, will be conducive to
maintaining regional peace and stability.
The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international
affairs, defense policies and other issues of common concern.
(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2003)