China is studying a suggestion by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that Chinese and Japanese leaders meet at the upcoming Asia-Africa Summit in Indonesia to resolve their differences, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang at Tuesday's regular press conference.
China is sincere in its wish to develop relations with Japan, and hopes its neighbor shares a similar desire, especially on historical and Taiwan issues, the main issues affecting the China-Japan relationship, said Qin.
"The two sides should run in the same direction, rather than in the opposite ones," he said.
Referring to Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura's visit to China, Qin said the two sides exchanged views in a frank manner and agreed to take a long-term perspective on bilateral relations.
Speaking at a meeting on the current Sino-Japanese situation Tuesday, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said that Japan should take "concrete actions" to meet the commitment it made to face and meditate on its history of aggression.
He also encouraged the Chinese public to translate their patriotism into enthusiasm for their work and studies.
Qin Gang said that China has never tried to teach younger generations to be anti-Japanese, but advocated goodwill toward the Japanese people. China consistently maintains that the Japanese people should not be blamed for Japanese militarism.
Commenting on a Japanese court's rejection of a compensation claim made by 10 Chinese victims of Japan's wartime biological experiments, brutal invasion of Nanjing and firebombing in Fujian Province, Qin said, "We hope the Japanese side will approach this issue in a responsible manner and handle it appropriately."
The Tokyo High Court upheld a 1999 lower court ruling that under international and civil law, individual war victims do not have a right to seek compensation directly from a warring nation.
In response to questions concerning the free trade zone talks that are beginning between China and Australia, Qin said, "We are also ready to start free trade zone talks with other countries and regions."
The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Beijing on Monday, agreeing to start talks on establishing a free trade area following Australia's recognition of China as a full market economy.
"This is an equal and reciprocal arrangement, which will certainly facilitate economic cooperation between the two sides," said Qin.
On President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to Indonesia, Qin said the establishment of a strategic cooperative partnership will provide a "guideline" for the relationship between China and Indonesia.
Hu will pay state visits to Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines from April 20 to 28. He will also attend the 2005 Asia-Africa Summit and activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference at the invitation of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and South African President Thabo Mbeki.
Turning to South Asia, Qin said China welcomes the consensus reached by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on improving and developing ties.
"China sincerely hopes Pakistan and India could keep momentum of dialogue so that they can solve their differences and achieve the goal of peaceful coexistence and common development," he said.
Qin said that China hopes the election of Mehmet Ali Talat's government in Turkish Cyprus will contribute to stability and development on the Mediterranean island and lead to greater dialogue between Greek and Turkish nationals in the country.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency, CRI.com April 20, 2005)
