Japan, China view N. Korea launch as unwelcome, but signs of differences

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BEIJING, March 20 Kyodo -
Japanese and Chinese defense ministers agreed Friday it would be best if North
Korea refrains from a planned rocket launch, but made demands to each other
over ways to deal with the issue.
While Japan asked China, North Korea's traditional ally, to urge Pyongyang's
restraint, Beijing asked Tokyo to handle the issue ''in a calm manner,''
Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and a Japanese government official
said.
North Korea's planned rocket launch was a topic in Hamada's meetings with his
Chinese counterpart Liang Guanglie as well as Wu Bangguo, chairman of China's
legislature, and a dinner later hosted by Liang.
Liang said ''it would be best if North Korea did not fire'' the rocket, Hamada
said.
But he added that countries such as Japan ''should take a coolheaded attitude''
on the issue, he said.
The Chinese official was believed to be reacting to recent discussions in Japan
about intercepting the rocket, which North Korea has said will be launched in
early April to put a satellite into orbit.
Countries such as Japan suspect the plan to be a cover for testing a long-range
ballistic missile, given the similarities between the technology involved.
Japan has said that even if it is a satellite launch, North Korea would be
violating existing U.N. Security Council resolutions that prohibit it from
engaging in ballistic missile activities.
China has taken a more nuanced approach. Although it has indicated its desire
for North Korea to refrain from the launch, it has not said whether it would
view the act as a violation of the resolutions.
Hamada said that Chinese officials did not clarify what Beijing plans to do if
the launch takes place.
''In the talks, there was no clear statement from China about what it will
do,'' he said.
A Japanese government official said that while Hamada urged China to urge North
Korea's restraint in his meeting with Wu, there was no direct response from the
Chinese official.
In their talks, the two defense ministers agreed that the two countries will
seek ways to cooperate in antipiracy operations off the coast of Somalia,
according to the Japanese government official. Both countries have committed
naval vessels to the operations.
Hamada also conveyed Japan's concern over China's growing military spending,
which will mark the 21st year of double-digit growth in 2009, the official
said.
Liang replied that there is no need for concern because Beijing's policy is
defensive, according to the official.
Liang also touched on China's intention to build an aircraft carrier, telling
Hamada that China is the only major nation in the world not to have one, the
official said.
''China has a vast sea area and the Chinese Navy needs to develop,'' the
official quoted Liang as saying.
==Kyodo