CHINA: China says Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has shut the door to talks with Beijing by visiting Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine for the war dead

Record ID: 872899

  • Title: CHINA: China says Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has shut the door to talks with Beijing by visiting Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine for the war dead
  • Date: 30th December 2013
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (DECEMBER 30, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN QIN GANG WALKING IN FOR REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN QIN GANG SAYING: "In fact, Abe has himself shut the door on talks with Chinese leaders. The Chinese people do not welcome him. What Abe should do now is admit his mistakes to the Chinese government and people, and make a fresh start." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN QIN GANG SAYING: "Since assuming office, Abe has miscalculated on Sino-Japan ties, and made mistake after mistake, especially visiting the Yasukuni Shrine which houses class A war criminals of World War Two." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 14th January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • City:
  • Country: China
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAAEPBQILLI26OZFQ1B5I6LZLCR
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  • Story Text: China said on Monday (December 30) that its leaders will not meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after his visit to a shrine seen by critics as a symbol of Tokyo's wartime aggression, underscoring the deteriorating ties between Asia's two biggest economies.
    Abe had repeated his hopes for talks with Beijing last week, when he visited the Yasukuni shrine where Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal after World War Two are honoured along with those who died in battle.
    Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Abe had shut the door on talks.

    "In fact, Abe has himself shut the door on talks with Chinese leaders. The Chinese people do not welcome him. What Abe should do now is admit his mistakes to the Chinese government and people, and make a fresh start," Qin told a regular news conference in Beijing.
    The visit infuriated China and South Korea, both of which were occupied by Japanese forces until the end of the war, and prompted concern from the United States about deteriorating ties between the North Asian neighbours.

    "Since assuming office, Abe has miscalculated on Sino-Japan ties, and made mistake after mistake, especially visiting the Yasukuni Shrine which houses class A war criminals of the World War Two," Qin added.
    Ties between Japan and China were already precarious due to a simmering row over ownership of a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. China has said it is willing to talk to Japan about the issue, but has accused Abe of not being serious about wanting to resolve the dispute.
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