Japan urged to keep Taiwan commitments
By Qin Jize (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-25 05:58

China urged Japan yesterday to keep its commitment towards the Taiwan question and handle former Taiwan "president" Lee Teng-hui's possible visit to the country in the proper way.

Reports said that Lee planned to travel to Japan on May 10 for two or three weeks at the invitation of private groups.

Lee is the chief representative of the radical force for "Taiwan independence."

"The Taiwan question concerns the core interests of China and relates to the national feeling of the 1.3 billion Chinese people, as well as the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan.

Kong told reporters at a regular briefing yesterday that Lee's repeated request for a visit to Japan was an attempt to find a speaking platform for Taiwan separatists, so as to undermine the peaceful reunification across the Taiwan Straits and Sino-Japanese ties.

Kong said the Chinese side has asked the Japanese Government to abide by the principles of the three political documents including the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, and to keep its promise on the Taiwan question through practical actions.

Kong yesterday also made a response to Japanese leaders' pledges to improve ties with its Asian neighbours in their speeches to parliament on January 20.

Kong said China has noted the separate speeches by Koizumi and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso on forging ties with China and South Korea.

"And we want to see the Japanese side improve bilateral ties with practical actions," Kong said, vowing that China will continue to develop Sino-Japanese friendly co-operative relationship on the principle of reviewing history and facing the future.

(China Daily 01/25/2006 page2)