 |
| China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan |
China yesterday postponed a planned visit by the Japanese foreign minister in response to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni shrine, a symbol of militarism.
Japan's Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura was scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Sunday for a two-day visit.
However, "given the current situation, it is not the proper time for such a visit and it is not convenient for China to receive him," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said.
Beijing has repeatedly called on Tokyo to do more toatonefor its war atrocities. Itlodged a strong proteston Monday immediately after Koizumi's visit to the shrine, where 14 Class A war criminals of World War II are honoured.
The visit, the fifth during Koizumi's term as prime minister which began in 2001, prompted a furious protest from China, with Kong calling it "a damage to the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations."
Despite the protest, nearly 200 Japanese lawmakers prayed at the notorious shrine yesterday, one day after Koizumi's visit.
The group included leaders of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and a handful of opposition lawmakers.
Kong said China is strongly opposed to Japanese leaders paying tributes to the shrine "at anytime, in any form."
The spokesman said Koizumi must shoulder all the responsibility for the serious damage done to the bilateral ties.
But media reports from Tokyo said that Japan would continue to prepare for Machimura's trip to China.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda, the top Japanese Government spokesman, was quoted as saying the visit was "still in the process of being coordinated."
Machimura's visit was intended to be afence-mendingtrip and it is reported that he had hoped to pave the way for a meeting between Koizumi and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Top-level exchanges between the two countries have been stalled since Koizumi began paying annual visits to the shrine in 2001.
(China Daily)
|
Updated: 2005-10-19 16:50
