The Foreign Ministry said yesterday that the visit of Japanese
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the Yasukuni Shrine despite
strong opposition from China and other Asian countries had
seriously undermined Sino-Japanese relations.
Ministry spokesperson Kong Quan told a regular
press conference that the government and people expressed strong
indignation over Koizumi's act, which wantonly hurt the feelings
and dignity of countries and peoples who had been victimized during
WWII.
Indignation and opposition had been echoed by the
international community, Kong said, adding that "We noticed that
many Japanese people also hold misgivings about Koizumi's shrine
visit."
President Hu Jintao
set forth proposals on developing Sino-Japanese relationship in
Jakarta in April during his meeting with Koizumi, to which Koizumi
expressed his agreement, said Kong.
He said the Japanese government and its leaders
have expressed their solemn promise and commitments toward the
history issue on many occasions.
"However, facts prove that Koizumi went back on his
words," Kong said.
Koizumi visited the shrine on Monday for the fifth
time since taking office in 2001, which honors 14 class-A war
criminals from WWII among about 2 million other Japanese war
dead.
Kong said the move could not help attain the aim of
what he called "reflection of history," but would fuel the tendency
to distort and negate history by Japanese rightwing extremists.
"Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine has
resulted in very grave consequences, for which he should bear full
responsibility," said Kong.
The government is strongly opposed to Koizumi's
shrine visits at any time and in any form, he said.
“The Japanese must take action to meet their
promise to treat history properly, and never do anything more to
hurt the feelings of the victimized countries," said Kong. "This is
the premise and basis of improving and developing Sino-Japanese
relations."
In the 21st century, Japan must show an earnest,
sincere and responsible attitude, implement the principles of
"learning from history and facing up to the future" by taking
convincing and concrete actions, coexist peacefully with neighbors
and take a peaceful development path on this basis if it really
wants to gain trust from Asian neighbors and the international
community and play a positive role in international affairs, Kong
said.
China and Japan are neighbors and they should
coexist in peace and friendship and seek common development, which
constitutes an important revelation shown by the positive and
negative aspects of the history of bilateral relations and is where
the common aspiration and the greatest common interests of the two
peoples rest, he said.
Kong also gave his view on Rumsfeld's China visit,
hoping it could help the two sides have an all-round and objective
understanding of each other.
"The two sides should transform their words into
real action, and make the development of Sino-US military ties
consistent with that of overall bilateral relations," he said.
"It is legitimate that China strengthen national
defense, and it should arouse no doubt or worry," he said.
Kong said Chinese leaders have urged the US side to
handle properly and cautiously the Taiwan issue, which concerns
China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
China firmly opposes the US visit by Li Teng-hui, a
"Taiwan independence" advocator who attempts to harm relations
across the Taiwan Straits, China-US relations and peace and
stability in the Asia-Pacific region, said Kong.
"We have lodged solemn representations to the US
side and hope it will keep its word to adhere to the one-China
policy, abide by the three China-US joint communiqués and oppose
'Taiwan independence', and correct its wrongdoing and stop giving
any misleading signals to the separatist forces of 'Taiwan
independence'," Kong said.
He said China and Russia held their second round of
strategic security talks in Beijing on Thursday morning, chaired by
State Councilor Tang
Jiaxuan and Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov.
Kong said the talks would be conducive to expansion
of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in all
fields.
Their consultations focused on bilateral relations
as well as such major international issues as anti-terrorism,
non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, the construction of Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO),
said Kong.
Under the circumstances of developing a
Sino-Russian strategic cooperative partnership, both countries
stressed the necessity to increase channels of communication,
consultation and dialogue, Kong said.
Kong described the security talks as "in-depth and
active," saying China and Russia could enhance mutual understanding
and trust through them.
The talks would exert a profound influence on the
mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, Kong said.
In addition, Kong announced that, at the invitation
of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, Premier Wen
Jiabao will attend the 4th meeting of prime ministers of SCO
member states in Moscow from October 26 to 27.
Turning to the trial of Saddam Hussein, Kong said
China was paying close attention to it, saying that his destiny
should be decided totally by the Iraqi people.
China hopes that the situation in Iraq will
stabilize as soon as possible and that the Iraqi people will soon
rebuild their homeland, Kong said.
The trial of Hussein and his aides started in
Baghdad on Wednesday, and was adjourned until November 28 after
Adnan al-Dulaimi, his lawyer, requested a three-month
postponement.
Kong also said Foreign Minister of Serbia and
Montenegro Vuk Draskovic will visit from October 22 to 27.
(Xinhua News Agency October 21, 2005)