Japan says governor's plan to buy Diaoyu is 'independent action'

Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday called for Japan's due respect for China's core interests and major concerns as Japan's local government recently beefed up campaigns for "buying" the Diaoyu Islands.

Last month, Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara said his city prefecture is negotiating with the "owner" of the islands in hope of "buying them by the end of this year". The emotional remarks and moves are believed to have overshadowed China-Japan ties.

The Tokyo Prefecture's interest in buying the Diaoyu Islands is an "independent action" irrelevant to the Noda cabinet, Noriyuki Shikata, Japanese Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Public Affairs, said in an exclusive interview with China Daily.

During his Sunday bilateral talk with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Wen reiterated China's principles and stances on issues regarding Xinjiang and the Diaoyu Islands.

Tokyo issued an entry visa to Uygur separatist leader Rebiya Kadeer on Friday to attend the World Uyghur Congress, which China sees as a separatist organization, and Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei condemned the Japanese move, according to AFP.

Wen also urged Japan to follow the guidelines and spirit of the four political documents signed between the two nations, pay due respect to China's "core interests and major concerns", discretely and properly handle related issues and stick to the right direction to develop bilateral relations.

Noda said Japan "does not intend to interfere" in China's internal affairs, and is willing to focus on the bigger picture and properly handle existing issues between two countries to avoid overshadowing the bilateral relationship.

Bilateral ties have seen great development and undergone ups and downs with profound experiences and lessons since the normalization of bilateral diplomatic relations 40 years ago, Wen said.

Japan is willing to follow the guidelines and spirit of the four political documents to boost high-level exchanges, political mutual trust, cooperation and civil exchanges, Noda said. Now the bilateral ties face new opportunities for development, and both sides enjoy wider shared interests, Wen said.

Also on Sunday, Shikata, the Japanese Deputy Cabinet Secretary and a spokesman for the Japanese prime minister's office, told China Daily that Ishihara's recent campaigns for purchasing the islands, which are believed to have haunted the Noda cabinet, are "his own" and an "independent action".

The cabinet does not intend to come up with an "emotional reaction" to the islands issue, Shikata said.

Shikata declined to comment on how bilateral ties would be affected if Japan purchased the islands.

In the wake of the fifth trilateral summit meeting among China, Japan and the ROK, Japan and China are scheduled to hold their first high-level maritime talks on Tuesday in Hangzhou of eastern China.

Intensive discussions are expected to take place to achieve "better overall communication and coordination" in maritime incidents, Shikata said.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/14/2012 page12)