The?Chinese Foreign Ministry has lodged its objections to
remarks made by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso yesterday that
described Taiwan as a law-abiding "country."
Aso reportedly called Taiwan a "country" when addressing a
parliamentary committee.
The ministry's spokesman Qin Gang said at yesterday's regular
press conference that Taiwan and history issues form an important
basis for ties between
China and Japan. Japan "made the commitment" to abide by the
principles contained in the three political documents governing
bilateral relations.
The three documents are the China-Japan Joint Statement, the
Peace and Friendship Treaty, and the China-Japan Joint
Declaration.
In the China-Japan Joint Statement, Qin said, the Japanese
government vowed to respect the Chinese government's stand that
Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and to recognize
the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole
legitimate government of the whole of China.
A few months ago, Aso was strongly criticized for his comment
that Taiwan is "a country with a very high education level." An
editorial carried by the New York Times said that his
"sense of diplomacy is as odd as his sense of history."
On Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing's remarks about Japanese leaders' repeated visits to
the Yasukuni Shrine, Qin said Li had voiced the stance of the
Chinese government rather than his personal opinion on this matter.
Li's remarks represent the just claim of the Chinese people and
also reflect the opinion of the international community.
Qin expressed the hope that Japan could be objective about Li's
remarks, face up to reality, and seriously consider how to realize
its promise of feeling remorse for its history of aggression toward
its neighbors through positive action.
On the East China Sea issue, Qin said China's new proposal to
address it is "rational and constructive."
China hopes that Japan will "seriously study" the proposal,
which was drawn up at the conclusion of the fourth round of
consultations two days ago in Beijing.
China's proposal "complies with the actual situation in the East
China Sea and reflects the principle of 'putting differences aside
and making joint development'," Qin said.
The Diaoyu Islands and the surrounding islets are part of
Chinese territory and China holds indisputable sovereignty over
them, he added.
Japan has for the moment refused to accept the Chinese proposal
because "the Diaoyu Islands are Japanese territory." Such rhetoric
cannot hold water, Qin said.
On the development of the Chunxiao oil and gas field, Qin said
that such development is simply China exercising its sovereign
rights.
Japan's proposal tabled in the third round of consultation
proceeded from Japan's unilateral viewpoint, he said, adding that
China could not accept it.
Qin said the "middle line" claimed by Japan in the consultation
was a unilateral proposal. "China has not and will never accept the
proposal," he said.
Hu Zhengyao, director of the Chinese Foreign
Ministry's?Department of Asian Affairs, and Kenichiro Sasae,
head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs
Bureau, participated in the consultation as heads of the Chinese
and Japanese delegations respectively.
To date, China and Japan have held four rounds of consultations
on the matter.
Moving on to Taiwan matters, Qin said that Taiwan leader Chen
Shui-bian's move was a grave provocation against the one-China
principle that is widely observed by the international community,
and will undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan
Straits.
Chen recently put an end to the application of the "National
Unification Council" and the "National Unification Guidelines."
In other developments, China voiced its strong dissatisfaction
with the US after the US State Department issued a report
condemning China's human rights record.
The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005
is untruthful and crude, Qin said.
The report, issued on Wednesday, criticized the political system
of Hong Kong and
its restrictions on journalism.
Qin said that China's Constitution respects and safeguards human
rights. The Chinese government adheres to a policy it calls
"putting people above everything else" and has made many efforts
toward building a democratic country under the rule of law.
Human rights in China continue to improve, he added.
"China's progress in this regard has been recognized and
welcomed by the whole world, and the Chinese people are satisfied
with that progress," Qin added.
The Chinese government has not deviated from?the policy of
"one country, two systems" for Hong Kong, and supports its
democratic development in accordance with its unique
circumstances.
"We disapprove of any foreign governments or organizations
making wanton comments on the issue," Qin said.
He?urged the US government to stop interfering in the
internal affairs of other countries, adding: "The US should focus
more on its own human rights problems.
"Its various human rights violations and double standards on the
issue have drawn increasingly strong criticism from its own people
and the world."
On the Iranian nuclear issue, China has called for continuous
diplomatic efforts to tackle the matter.?
The UN Security Council's five permanent members held
closed-door consultations late on Wednesday on how to handle the
matter.
The meeting took place after the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) wrapped up its meeting in Vienna, where the agency's
35-nation board of governors discussed IAEA Director-General
Mohamed El-Baradei's assessment report on Iran's nuclear
program.
The IAEA's board of governors decided in a February 4 resolution
to report Iran's controversial nuclear plan to the UNSC.
With regard to six-party
talks on the Korean nuclear issue, Qin said?South
Korea's?new chief negotiator, Chun Young-woo, arrived in
Beijing on Thursday for further discussions.
During his visit, Chun will meet today with his Chinese
counterpart Wu
Dawei.
The six-party talks, involving China, the US, Russia, Japan,
North and South Korea, were stalled after the first phase of the
fifth round of talks?last November.
The Joint Statement adopted at the end of the fourth round of
talks on September 19, 2005 in Beijing was viewed as the most
substantial produced to date since the talks began in August
2003.
The statement says that the six parties unanimously reaffirmed
that the goal of the talks is to ensure denuclearization of the
Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner.
Chun was appointed as the chief negotiator to the six-party
talks last month, replacing Song Min-soon who was promoted in
January to the post of chief secretary to the president for
unification, foreign and security policy.
On Tuesday's blasts in India, Qin said China strongly condemned
the terrorist incident.
Three explosions ripped through the crowded Hindu holy city of
Varanasi in north India's Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday evening, killing
more than 20 people and injuring about 60.
Qin expressed sympathy for the victims and extended sincere
condolences to the families of the victims and those injured.
In other announcements, Russian President Vladimir Putin will
visit China from March 21 to 22 at the invitation of President Hu
Jintao.
Putin will also attend the opening ceremonies of the "Year of
Russia" and a
China-Russia business summit forum. During the visit, Hu and
Putin will hold talks and exchange views on furthering bilateral
strategic and cooperative partnership, as well as other major
international and regional issues.
Wu
Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of?the
National People's Congress, and Premier Wen
Jiabao will also meet with Putin separately.
In addition, a series of bilateral cooperative documents are
expected to be signed during the visit.
Minister of Agriculture Du Qinglin will represent the Chinese
government at the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Michele
Bachelet of Chile on March 11.
State Councilor Tang
Jiaxuan will visit Sri Lanka and Nepal from March 14 to 18.
(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2006)