China on Tuesday urged the Japanese government to "remove
obstacles" to bilateral ties on the eve of Japan's ruling party
election.
"China hopes the Japanese government will honor its commitments
and remove obstacles to bilateral ties as soon as possible,"
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang said at a regular press
conference.
His comments came ahead of the leadership election of Japan's
ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which is scheduled to take place
today.
"Japanese leaders should make political decisions and take
actions to show their regret and apologize for wartime
aggressions," Qin said.
Sino-Japanese relations have been soured by Japanese Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the Yasukuni
Shrine, where Japan's war dead, including 14 Class A Second World
War criminals, are honored.
Koizumi's last shrine visit on August 15, the 61st anniversary
of his country's surrender, further damaged relations.
Koizumi is set to step down as premiere this month. Chief
Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the leading prime ministerial
candidate, has defended Koizumi's pilgrimages to the shrine and
refused to say whether or not he would continue those visits should
he become prime minister.
Qin said China has maintained a "clear and consistent" attitude
on China-Japan relations, including the shrine visits and other
historic issues.
The Chinese government demands Japan correctly view and handle
the history issue, Qin said. "This will not only help Japan mend
ties with neighbors, but also enhance Japan's international
profile."
Handling of N. Korean illegal immigrants accords with
law
China will, as always, properly deal with illegal immigrants
from North Korea in accordance with Chinese law, international law
and humanitarian principles, Qin said.
Qin said these North Korean immigrants were not refugees, but
entered China because of "poor economic conditions," and their
entrance is "illegal."
Such immigrants from North Korea have charged into the offices
of foreign missions to China and international schools, violated
Chinese law and disturbed public security, he said.
Sanction on North Korea opposed
China is opposed to financial sanctions on North Korea, Qin
said, warning against further complication of the thorny issue.
The spokesman, in a comment on Japan's newly approved financial
sanctions on North Korea, urged all sides in the six-party nuclear
talks to keep calm and exercise restraint.
China has always maintained that the nuclear issue on the Korean
Peninsula should be solved through dialogue, Qin said.
"All parties concerned should focus on how to resume the talks
as soon as possible and avoid any action that could further
complicate the situation."
However, Qin added that China has no plan to attend a 10-nation
meeting proposed by the US on the nuclear issue.
Tuesday marked the first anniversary of the issuance of the
Joint Statement of the six-party talks.
The statement, adopted at the end of the fourth round of talks
on September 19, 2005, was regarded as the most substantial
document since talks began in August 2003.
The statement offered a framework for solving the nuclear issue
through dialogue, Qin said, urging all parties to make efforts to
implement the statement.
The six-party talks, involving China, South and North Korea, the
US, Russia and Japan, were stalled after the first phase of the
fifth round of talks ended last November.?
China consults with UN on increasing peacekeepers in
Lebanon
The Chinese government is consulting with the UN Secretariat on
enlarging its peacekeeping force in Lebanon, Qin said.
"China would like to make positive contributions to peace in
Middle East and is consulting with the UN Secretariat on increasing
the number of peacekeepers to Lebanon."
China has always supported the peace process in the Middle East,
Qin added.
"China believes the expansion and deployment of UN peacekeepers
in Lebanon will be important for stabilizing the Middle East
situation."
Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday announced that China would
enlarge its peacekeeping force in Lebanon to 1,000.
Since 1990, China has participated in 15 UN operations,
involving more than 6,000 Chinese peacekeepers, Qin said, and nine
Chinese peacekeepers had died in UN peacekeeping operations.
More than 180 Chinese peacekeepers have already been deployed in
Lebanon, most of whom are engineers.
UN peacekeepers in Darfur should first seek Sudan's
permission
The Chinese government on Tuesday urged discretion on the issue
of deploying UN peacekeepers to Darfur and said the permission of
the Sudanese government should first be sought.
"The issue should be fully discussed and especially approved by
the Sudanese government and relevant African organizations and
countries, so the peacekeeping actions can make real achievements,"
Qin said.
Qin said the Chinese government's consistent stance was that
peacekeeping actions should first have the permission of the
country concerned, not only on the issue of Darfur, but also in
other actions in which China had participated.
China had always been concerned about the situation in Darfur
and done everything it could to help, Qin added.
He said China had provided humanitarian aid to Sudan and
assistance to the peacekeeping troops of the African Union (AU) in
the region. Moreover, China had actively consulted with the
Sudanese government.
Last month, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that
would allow the UN to assume control over the peacekeeping mission
in Darfur from the AU, whose mandate is to expire on September
30.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced because of
the conflict in the troubled Darfur region.
Call for diplomatic negotiations on Iran nuclear
issue?
All parties involved in the Iran nuclear issue should maintain
diplomatic negotiations and dialogue, and promote a peaceful
resolution to the matter, Qin said.
Qin said all sides should make the most of the opportunity
provided by the negotiations between the EU and Iran, which were
making progress.
French President Jacques Chirac on Monday urged the six major
powers involved the issue -- Britain, China, France, Germany,
Russia and the US -- not to refer Iran to the UN Security Council,
and to find an agenda for negotiation, then engage in such
negotiations.
A peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear issue through
diplomatic negotiations was the common will of the international
community, Qin said, adding it was also in the interests of all
parties and was the "best option."
Referring to reports that Iran is jointly carrying out nuclear
programs with North Korea, Qin said the Chinese government hoped
any measures taken would promote diplomatic negotiations, and help
resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and the Iran
nuclear issue peacefully.
US Treasury Secretary's China visit to boost Sino-US
ties?
The Chinese government expects US Treasury Secretary Henry
Paulson's visit to China to promote mutual understanding and trust,
Qin said.
Paulson kicked off a four-day visit to China on Tuesday. Chinese
leaders and officials from the National Development and Reform
Commission, and the Ministries of Finance, Commerce, Health, and
Information Industry are scheduled to meet or hold talks with
him.
Qin said the two sides will exchange views on issues including
strengthening economic and trade cooperation, which benefits the
two countries' constructive partnership, and influences global
economic safety, stability and growth.
"China and the US each have their interests and concerns, which
Paulson's visit will provide opportunities to express," Qin
said.
More important, China and the US should view bilateral ties from
an all-round perspective and take a wide range of common interests
into consideration, Qin added.
China revalued its currency, the yuan, in July last year by
linking it to a basket of currencies instead of the US dollar alone
and allowing it to move within a 0.3 percent floating band on a
daily basis.
"Both China and the US have their own concerns," Qin said,
adding the currency issue is separate from political issues and
should not hinder the development of Sino-US economic and trade
ties.
China willing to conduct space cooperation with
US
China would like to conduct space cooperation with the US and
other countries, Qin said.
Qin was speaking in advance of the visit to China by Michael
Griffin, the administrator of National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA).
The peaceful exploitation of space is the common goal of
mankind, Qin said.
China hopes space organizations from China and the US can
establish steady relations and discuss the possibility of
cooperation in space science and application.
Griffin is reportedly scheduled to visit China from September 24
to 28, making stops in Beijing and Shanghai.
China has already signed 16 pacts with 13 governments and
organizations, and established space industry cooperation with more
than 40 countries and international organizations.
(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2006)