CHINA/JAPAN: China says Japan's purchase of disputed islands is to blame for a deterioration in bilateral relations that led to top Chinese delegates' absence from the IMF meeting in Tokyo, in a move Japan calls 'regrettable'

Record ID: 466670

  • Title: CHINA/JAPAN: China says Japan's purchase of disputed islands is to blame for a deterioration in bilateral relations that led to top Chinese delegates' absence from the IMF meeting in Tokyo, in a move Japan calls 'regrettable'
  • Date: 11th October 2012
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (OCTOBER 10, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN HONG LEI WALKING IN FOR REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN HONG LEI SAYING: "Japan's action of illegally purchasing the Diaoyu islands severely violated China's territorial sovereignty, and caused the current difficult situation in Sino-Japan relations. Japan should take full responsibility for it. The most important thing at present is for the Japanese government to face up to the difficult situation in bilateral relations, acknowledge the disputes regarding the Diaoyu islands, correct its wrong deeds of violating China's sovereignty, and return to the negotiating table to resolve the Diaoyu islands dispute through dialogue."
  • Embargoed: 26th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, China
  • City:
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAE4VEH2FRL1WJWHM3R078PNXGL
  • Story Text: China said Tokyo should take full responsibility for a deterioration in bilateral relations that led to Chinese top delegates pulling out of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) semi-annual meeting in Japan.
    China's official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday (October 9) that China's delegation to the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in Tokyo would not be led by its most senior finance officials.
    Only the most senior officials usually lead such trips, but Xinhua said China's deputy central bank governor and vice finance minister would be leading the central bank's delegation later this week instead.
    Sino-Japanese relations deteriorated sharply in September after Japan bought the East China Sea islets that both Tokyo and Beijing claim, sparking anti-Japanese protests across China.
    The disputed group of islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are located near rich fishing grounds and potentially huge oil and gas reserves. Taiwan also asserts its sovereignty over the islets.
    "Japan's action of illegally purchasing the Diaoyu islands severely violated China's territorial sovereignty, and caused the current difficult situation in Sino-Japan relations. Japan should take full responsibility for it. The most important thing at present is for the Japanese government to face up to the difficult situation in bilateral relations, acknowledge the disputes regarding the Diaoyu islands, correct its wrong deeds of violating China's sovereignty, and return to the negotiating table to resolve the Diaoyu islands dispute through dialogue," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a regular news conference in Beijing.
    A Japanese government official said the absence of China's central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan was "regrettable".
    "This is of course talking about if they couldn't come but the Tokyo annual meetings are of course an important meeting and so having a country's representative not participate is very regrettable. But as Japanese-China economic relations are very important we hope to maintain perspective about this and look to proceed from there," said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura.
    Japan is scheduled to host the International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings for the first time in nearly half a century. About 20,000 people are expected to attend the event, making it one of the world's largest international conferences.
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