A Foreign Ministry spokesperson yesterday called on Japan to
respect the rights of Chinese fishermen, including those from
Taiwan.
"The Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied with
Japan's forcible expulsion of Taiwan fishermen from Chinese
territory around the Diaoyu Islands," Liu Jianchao said at a
regular news briefing.
"For Japan to forcibly expel Taiwanese fishermen
doing their work from that area is a violation of China's rights
and sovereignty," Liu said. "We ask that Japan pay attention to the
Chinese side's concerns and practically and prudently handle
related problems."
A Beijing-based diplomatic source said the Foreign
Ministry had lodged a protest with the Japanese embassy in Beijing
via "normal diplomatic channels" earlier this month.
Liu also reaffirmed China's claim to the Diaoyu
Islands and their adjacent islets in the East China Sea, saying
they have long been an integral part of Chinese territory and
Chinese fishing grounds for generations.
Also yesterday, Taiwan sent a navy frigate with 15
local politicians and more than 100 journalists on board to protect
its fishermen in the waters about 65 nautical miles (120
kilometers) northeast of Taiwan.
The frigate's four-hour voyage came after Taiwanese
fishermen complained of being harassed by Japanese patrol
boats.
Taiwan said more than 10 of its fishing boats had
been expelled from the area or detained by Japan this year and
urged Tokyo to resolve the issue quickly through negotiation.
China and Japan are divided on the issue of
demarcation of the continental shelf of the East China Sea, through
which Japan has unilaterally drawn a "median line." China has
insisted on negotiation and appealed for joint exploration of
resources in the disputed waters.
Japan last month began granting Japanese firms the
right to conduct test drilling for potential oil and gas fields in
the area, which China called "a serious provocation."
Turning to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Liu
said China "welcomes" positive signals emerging recently on
resuming the six-party
talks.
US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill
said Monday in Inchon, South Korea that the US hopes the six-party
talks can restart in July and that they are ready to hold talks
with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in a
respectful atmosphere.
According to Chung Dong-young, South Korean
Unification Minister and special envoy of President Roh Moo-hyun,
during his meeting with the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong-il last
Friday, Kim said "the DPRK is willing to return to six-party
nuclear talks even in July, if the US 'recognizes and respects'
Pyongyang."
Liu said China has been pushing for early
resumption of the six-party talks, and will continue to hold
consultations with those involved. "As for the details of the
meeting, related parties should conduct efficient communications,"
he added.
"Although there are lots of problems, China will
not give up its efforts to promote the resumption of six-party
talks," he said.
He said China is committed to peace and stability
on the Korean Peninsula, aiming to realize denuclearization through
peaceful talks.
China also hopes that the relevant parties will
make concerted efforts, seize present opportunities and show
greater flexibility in a bid to promote the peaceful settlement of
the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, he said.
In order to end the nuclear issue peacefully,
China, the DPRK, the US, Russia, South Korea and Japan have
convened three rounds of six-party talks in Beijing. The DPRK
refused to attend the fourth round, citing a "hostile" US
policy.
When commenting on the EU's decision at a summit in
Brussels earlier this month?on lifting its arms sales ban to
China, Liu expressed China's regret over its recent failure to meet
its previous pledge.
The EU summit said it would develop a strategic
partnership with China "by intensifying dialogue in all areas,
whether of an economic or political nature, and by working toward a
rapid solution to its trade dispute," according to a conclusion
document issued by the summit.
Liu said China still hopes the EU will lift the ban
as soon as possible.
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said
last week it would make more efforts for the early lifting of the
arms embargo against China.
Luxembourg, which is to hand over the presidency of
the EU to the UK in July, said efforts should continue to strike a
deal on an EU code of conduct on arms exports at an EU summit in
September, so as to lay down a solid road for the lifting of the
ban.
Turning to outbound visits, Liu announced that from
June 30 to July 7, President Hu Jintao
will visit Russia and Kazakhstan, and attend the summit meeting of
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
in the Kazakhstani capital of Astana before attending the G8+5
summit in the UK.
During his Russia visit, Liu said Hu plans to hold
talks with President Vladimir Putin and meet with other Russian
government and parliamentary leaders.
"The visit is aimed to increase bilateral political
trust, deepen all-round cooperation, enhance coordination and
cooperation in key international and regional issues and further
upgrade the Sino-Russian strategic partnership," Liu said.
He said the two countries will also "issue a
political document and sign a series of cooperative documents."
Liu did not brief the press on Hu's visit to
Kazakhstan and relevant details for his participation in the annual
SCO summit meeting.
The SCO is an intergovernmental organization
founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001, by China, Russia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with the aim of enhancing
confidence-building, promoting regional cooperation and security
and working together for the creation of a new international
political and economic order featuring democracy, justice and
rationality.
When asked whether Hu has planned to meet Japanese
Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro on the sidelines of the G8+5
summit, Liu said he didn't have any information on that and Hu's
schedule at the G8+5 summit hasn't been finalized yet.
The G8, evolved from the G7, comprises the world's
seven leading industrial nations -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, the UK and US -- and Russia. Traditionally, G8 summits have
focused mainly on economic discussions and the coordination of
macroeconomic policies of member countries. However, political
issues have been placed high on the agenda in recent years.
This year's G8 summit outreach session will be held
in the UK between the G8 and leaders from China, India, Brazil,
South Africa and Mexico.
In June 2003, French President Jacques Chirac
invited leaders of several emerging economies including China,
India and Brazil for informal dialogue with G8 leaders at the 29th
G8 summit meeting in France. Hu accepted the invitation and joined
the dialogue.
Liu said Uyunqimg, vice chairwoman of the National
People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, will attend the
inauguration ceremony of Mongolian President-elect Nambaryn
Enkhbayar as Hu's special envoy from June 23 to 25.
Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing is on a trip to Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Syria and
Lebanon. He met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Monday.
The US has pressed Israel over the arms sales issue prior to Li's
visit.
Liu said the cooperative relationship with Israel
would not harm the interests of any third party, and US concern
over Israel's arms sales to China is "groundless."
"China pays great attention to its mutually
beneficial and cooperative relations with Israel," said Liu. "The
growth of Sino-Israeli relations would serve the interests of
people of both countries and be conducive to regional peace and
stability."
"In developing bilateral relations, the principle
of independence should be observed, and outside interfering factors
should be cleared up," he stressed.
Turning to inbound visits, Liu said Czech Prime
Minister Jiri Paroubek will visit from June 26 to 28, and Fijian
Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase from June 25 to 30.
Also according to Liu, a Guatemalan delegation led
by Guatemalan Minister of Economy Marcio Ronanldo Cuevas arrived in
Beijing on Monday for a weeklong visit, as guest of the Chinese
People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
The Guatemalan minister met Cheng Siwei, vice
chairman of the NPC Standing Committee on Monday. Both sides had an
exchange of views on deepening economic relations and trade.
Guatemala currently has no official relations with
China.
"China reiterated that it is ready to establish
normal state-to-state relations with Guatemala and other nations in
Central America and the Caribbean region on the basis of the UN
Charter and the five principles of coexistence," Liu said. "It
would serve our long-term interests."
Two-way trade between China and Guatemala reached
US$436 million last year, up 41.7 percent on the previous one.
Besides Beijing, the Guatemalan delegation will
also travel to Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong
Province, Yichang in central China's Hubei
Province, as well as the country's economic hub of
Shanghai.
(Xinhua News Agency, China Daily June 22,
2005)