In a rare high-level meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing holds talks with his Japanese
counterpart Taro Aso on the sidelines of the Asia Cooperation
Dialogue conference, scheduled to be held in Qatar on May 23 and
24, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao said at a
regular press conference on Tuesday.
"The two foreign ministers will have in-depth discussions on
China-Japan relations," Liu said. He explained the meeting was
arranged for Tuesday in Qatar local time but no other details were
available.
Leaders of the two countries suspended exchanges in 2001 after
Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro began visiting the
controversial Yasukuni Shrine which honors convicted Japanese war
criminals.
This will be Li's first meeting with Aso who became Japan's
foreign minister last October.
"In the past two weeks, the two sides have kept in contact and
consulted with one another about the meeting," Liu said. "The
Yasukuni Shrine issue is the main sticking point in China-Japan
relations. I'm sure the two foreign ministers will talk about it
during their meeting," he commented.
Liu said China valued its relations with Japan and had never
stopped trying to improve ties. "China's efforts are well-known to
the Japanese side," Liu said. "We hope the meeting in Qatar will
help improve and develop China-Japan ties," he said.
Turning to the extradition of Lai Changxing, the alleged
smuggling kingpin, Liu said the Chinese government has urged Canada
to extradite him as soon as possible to face trial in China.
Lai is accused of leading a gang which conducted, in
collaboration with corrupt officials in coastal Xiamen City, Fujian Province, the biggest smuggling
operation uncovered in China since 1949. The case involved goods
worth US$10 billion.
Lai fled to Canada with his family in 1999 and has been
attempting to gain refugee status. Liu said the Chinese government
had taken a firm stance on the issue and had reiterated their
position to the Canadian government.?
On exports of high-tech products Liu said China urged the US to
ease its restrictions on the export of such goods to China as they
had a pivotal position in bilateral trade.
"China hopes the US can throw away 'Cold War' ideology and relax
its restrictions on exports of high-tech products to China from the
perspective of bilateral cooperation and strategic relations," Liu
said.
He added that US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill
would visit China on Wednesday and Thursday for an exchange of
views with the Chinese side on the six-party talks.
Hill, also the US chief negotiator for the six-party talks on
the Korean nuclear issue, will discuss with Chinese Vice Foreign
Minister Wu Dawei the promotion of the talks.
In response to a question concerning the attendance of
Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmud al-Zahar at the upcoming
China-Arab ministerial meeting Liu said the Chinese government
hoped China-Israel relations would be unaffected by this.
The Second Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation
Forum is to be held in Beijing on May 31 and June 1. Chinese
Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his counterparts or their
representatives from 22 Arab countries and the Arab League will
attend.
When asked to comment on the formation of the new Iraqi
government, which was inaugurated on May 20, Liu said the Chinese
government was glad the new government was in place. He added that
China hoped the Iraqi reconstruction process would make greater
progress under the new leadership. .
He said China hoped Iraq would realize stability and development
as soon as possible. China was ready to work with the new
government to advance bilateral ties of friendship and
cooperation.
In other announcements Liu said China respected the choice of
Montenegrin people and would accept the results of the referendum.
Just over 55 percent of Montenegrin voters supported the Balkan
republic's independence from Serbia-Montenegro the results of the
referendum showed Tuesday.
The turnout in Sunday's referendum was 86.3 percent according to
the Republican Referendum Commission. China believed that Serbia
and Montenegro would properly handle their relations through
friendly consultations, Liu said.
Liu also announced that Paek Nam-sun, minister of foreign
affairs of North Korea, would pay a visit to China between May 30
and June 6 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Li who, along with
Chinese leaders, would meet with him and talks on a range of topics
would be held.???
Besides Beijing, Paek will also visit Guangzhou, capital of
south China's economically thriving Guangdong Province.
(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2006)