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FM Spokesman Hopes Koizumi's Visit Will Help Bilateral Ties
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sun Yuxi said he hopes that the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's China visit would be used as an important opportunity to improve the difficult bilateral relations and to make new progress.
Sun made the remarks Tuesday afternoon at the regular press conference when asked about Koizumi's one-day working visit to China Monday.
Sun noted that Koizumi visited the Lugou (Marco Polo) Bridge, where the beginning of the Chinese people's eight-year war of resistance against Japanese aggression started, and the Memorial Hall of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
Koizumi expressed his condolences and apologies for those Chinese people who died during Japanese aggression more than half a century ago and his introspection over that war, added Sun.
Sun also noted that Koizumi stressed that he will continue to develop bilateral friendly and cooperative relations in his meetings with Chinese leaders, adding that the Chinese welcome and attach much importance to Koizumi's remarks.
Sun said that the two sides also exchanged views on their positions on anti-terrorism.
However, Sun pointed out that correctly treating historical issues is the political basis for bilateral relationship and there have been some problems emerging in the past few years in bilateral relations such as the textbook and the Yasukuni Shrine worship.
He continued that China's position is clear-cut and it has proposed that both sides learn from the history and face up to the future.
These problems can only be handled properly so long as the principles enshrined in those important bilateral documents be followed, stressed the spokesman.
The key lies on the Japanese side and the Japanese side should adopt a correct attitude, Sun pointed out, adding that such issues can not be settled completely with only one or two visits or speeches.
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