Japan, China diplomatic efforts take unexpected turn+

HANOI, Oct. 29 Kyodo -
Ties between Japan and China, which have appeared to be on the mend recently,
took an unexpected turn Friday when China reportedly criticized Japan for
ruining the atmosphere for a possible summit meeting between the countries'
leaders later in the day.
Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue said after talks earlier Friday
between Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara and his Chinese counterpart
Yang Jiechi that the Japanese side had ''made untrue statements'' about the
content of the talks, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.
Xinhua quoted Hu as saying the Japanese side had ''ruined the due atmosphere''
for Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to hold
talks in Hanoi on the sidelines of a series of meetings of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations and their dialogue partners.
Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama said later in Hanoi
that the Japanese government was not aware of what was behind China's move.
A senior Japanese government official in Tokyo, speaking on condition of
anonymity, admitted the difficulty of holding summit talks in the Vietnamese
capital, saying it was due to ''China's internal affairs.''
Maehara said he agreed with Yang to pursue efforts to improve bilateral ties
strained by maritime collisions near the disputed Senkaku Islands -- a comment
that seemingly reflected an improving environment for realizing talks between
Kan and Wen.
''We agreed to make efforts to improve Japan-China relations and build
strategic relations of mutual benefit,'' Maehara told reporters after emerging
from his meeting with the Chinese foreign minister in Hanoi, which was
initially set for 30 minutes but extended to an hour and 20 minutes.
It was the first foreign ministerial meeting since Japan and China had their
worst diplomatic spat in years following Tokyo's arrest of a Chinese fishing
boat captain in September on suspicion of intentionally ramming his trawler
into Japan Coast Guard vessels near the Senkaku Islands, which are administered
by Japan but claimed by China. The captain was eventually released.
The two foreign ministers met as attention focused on whether or when summit
talks between Kan and Wen would be held.
Japanese government officials said afterward that talks between Kan and Wen,
which would be their first meeting since an informal one in Brussels on Oct. 4
on the fringes of an Asia-Europe summit, were being arranged with the
possibility that they would meet as early as Friday evening.
However, the Xinhua report followed, also quoting Assistant Foreign Minister Hu
as saying that the Japanese side should take full responsibility for any
consequences arising.
The news agency said in a separate article that China ''refuted'' a news report
that said the two countries had agreed to resume negotiations on the oil and
gas field exploration in the disputed area in the East China Sea.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying that the report was
totally inconsistent with the facts.
On the issue, Maehara said he sought the resumption of talks aimed at signing a
treaty over joint gas field development. The talks were postponed in the wake
of the diplomatic row, according to a Japanese official.
The Chinese side responded by saying it wants to create an environment
necessary for restarting the talks, the official said.
Shortly after his talks with Yang, Maehara said, ''I believe there will be a
Japan-China summit here in Hanoi.'' He noted that their meeting took place ''in
an extremely congenial atmosphere.''
''We were able to be straightforward and say what we have to say to each other,
and have forward-looking discussions,'' he said.
Maehara said he told Yang about Japan's ''firm position'' on the Senkaku
Islands, referring to the Japanese government's stance that the Senkakus are an
integral part of Japan and that there is no territorial dispute with China, and
as such no issue exists to be solved between the countries.
Yang reiterated China's position, the Japanese foreign minister said. Beijing
claims the islands, which it calls the Diaoyu, have been Chinese territory
since ancient times.
While the countries remain at odds over the Senkaku Islands, there were signs
of progress on some bilateral issues.
Maehara said he expressed concern about China's de facto export embargo on rare
earth minerals, which are vital for high-tech products. A Japanese government
official quoted Maehara as saying that such an issue not only affects the
Japanese and world economies but the Chinese economy as well.
According to Maehara, Yang said that China will not use rare earths as a
''bargaining chip'' and that its handling of rare earths is based on China's
policy of protecting its resources.
China, the world's major supplier of rare earths, has denied imposing any
official restrictions on their export to Japan amid heightened bilateral
tension.
Maehara also called for restarting bilateral aviation talks, to which China
responded by saying it will take up the matter seriously.
The two foreign ministers also agreed to make efforts to create conditions
conducive for Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Japan to attend the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in Yokohama next month, Maehara
said.
Beyond bilateral issues, Yang called for the resumption of the stalled
six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program, said the Japanese
minister.
''There is no meaning if North Korea does not make any clear indication of its
desire to make progress (on the issue),'' Maehara said to reporters.
Yang was quoted as saying to Maehara, ''There is no meaning if we just hold
talks for the sake of holding talks, and the talks should make substantive
progress.''
==Kyodo