ID :
209088
Fri, 09/23/2011 - 17:18
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/209088
The shortlink copeid
Gemba, Yang agree to seek Noda's visit to China by year end
NEW YORK, Sept. 22 Kyodo - Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi agreed Thursday that the two countries will work on arranging Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's visit to Beijing by the end of this year.
Gemba told reporters that Yang has expressed hope for Noda's visit to China at an early date during their first face-to-face talks in New York.
Gemba, however, said it seems difficult to arrange his visit in October and Japan has not yet any prospect of when it may take place.
During the meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Yang claimed that the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea are part of his country, according to a Japanese official.
But Gemba said he reiterated Japan's position that the islands, which China calls the Diaoyu, are an integral part of Japanese territory historically and based on international law.
In late 2010, the bilateral relationship deteriorated to its lowest level in years over collisions involving a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese patrol boats near the islands.
The two ministers reaffirmed that Tokyo and Beijing will work together on maritime security, the official said.
Gemba said he also told Yang that Japan wants to resume talks toward a treaty on joint gas field development in the East China Sea. Yang said he hopes that the two countries will closely communicate on the issue, according to Gemba.
The talks had been put off due to China's protest over Japan's handling of the collisions in September last year, which led to the arrest of the trawler's captain.
In addition, Gemba said he asked the Chinese side to ease restrictions on food and other product imports from Japan imposed in the wake of the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Gemba is a native of Fukushima Prefecture, home of the nuclear plant.
Japan's top diplomat also called on Yang to consider restarting flights between China and the disaster-stricken region.
Gemba told reporters that Yang has expressed hope for Noda's visit to China at an early date during their first face-to-face talks in New York.
Gemba, however, said it seems difficult to arrange his visit in October and Japan has not yet any prospect of when it may take place.
During the meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Yang claimed that the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea are part of his country, according to a Japanese official.
But Gemba said he reiterated Japan's position that the islands, which China calls the Diaoyu, are an integral part of Japanese territory historically and based on international law.
In late 2010, the bilateral relationship deteriorated to its lowest level in years over collisions involving a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese patrol boats near the islands.
The two ministers reaffirmed that Tokyo and Beijing will work together on maritime security, the official said.
Gemba said he also told Yang that Japan wants to resume talks toward a treaty on joint gas field development in the East China Sea. Yang said he hopes that the two countries will closely communicate on the issue, according to Gemba.
The talks had been put off due to China's protest over Japan's handling of the collisions in September last year, which led to the arrest of the trawler's captain.
In addition, Gemba said he asked the Chinese side to ease restrictions on food and other product imports from Japan imposed in the wake of the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Gemba is a native of Fukushima Prefecture, home of the nuclear plant.
Japan's top diplomat also called on Yang to consider restarting flights between China and the disaster-stricken region.
