ID :
122320
Sat, 05/15/2010 - 23:04
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/122320
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Japan, China agree to work on mechanism amid maritime friction
GYEONGJU, South Korea, May 15 Kyodo -
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi
agreed Saturday on the need to step up efforts to create a risk aversion
mechanism involving both countries' defense authorities amid friction over
China's recent activities in waters off Japan, a Japanese Foreign Ministry
official said.
During their talks on the sidelines of a trilateral foreign ministers' meeting
also involving South Korea, Okada expressed concern over incidents in which
Chinese navy helicopters flew close to Japanese destroyers and called for
progress on the stalled issue of gas field development in the East China Sea.
Japan has protested that the Chinese vessel-borne helicopters' maneuvers were
''dangerous,'' while China has said that such flights were a ''necessary
defense measure'' in response to Japanese surveillance of Chinese vessels,
which were sailing to the Pacific after conducting drills in the East China Sea
in April.
Okada said after the talks that he told Yang it ''would be too late if
something (serious) happens,'' while Yang described the Japanese surveillance
as excessive.
Japan also lodged a protest with China after a Chinese marine survey ship
chased a Japan Coast Guard vessel on May 3 on what Tokyo claims is the Japanese
side of the median line distinguishing the exclusive economic zones of the two
countries in the East China Sea.
In Saturday's talks, Okada described the Chinese action as deplorable and
unacceptable, while Yang countered that the median line does not demarcate
China's exclusive economic zone.
The East China Sea has often provided a source of tension between the two
countries. The dispute over gas field development in the area stems from the
unsettled demarcation of the sea where the exclusive economic zones claimed by
the two countries overlap.
During the bilateral talks, Okada also referred to the need to swiftly commence
negotiations toward concluding a pact aimed at implementing a 2008 bilateral
accord to jointly explore gas resources in the area.
Okada also told Yang that China should make a commitment to reduce its nuclear
weapons, or at least not increase their number, the Japanese official said.
Yang said China maintains a non-first strike policy and thus does not pose a
nuclear threat.
As for food safety issues, the two foreign ministers also agreed to steadily
work toward setting up a new bilateral initiative on the matter.
The two countries agreed to set up the initiative in the wake of cases
involving tainted Chinese-made frozen dumplings that made a total of 10 people
ill in Japan in December 2007 and January 2008. Chinese police arrested a
Chinese suspect earlier this year.
==Kyodo
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi
agreed Saturday on the need to step up efforts to create a risk aversion
mechanism involving both countries' defense authorities amid friction over
China's recent activities in waters off Japan, a Japanese Foreign Ministry
official said.
During their talks on the sidelines of a trilateral foreign ministers' meeting
also involving South Korea, Okada expressed concern over incidents in which
Chinese navy helicopters flew close to Japanese destroyers and called for
progress on the stalled issue of gas field development in the East China Sea.
Japan has protested that the Chinese vessel-borne helicopters' maneuvers were
''dangerous,'' while China has said that such flights were a ''necessary
defense measure'' in response to Japanese surveillance of Chinese vessels,
which were sailing to the Pacific after conducting drills in the East China Sea
in April.
Okada said after the talks that he told Yang it ''would be too late if
something (serious) happens,'' while Yang described the Japanese surveillance
as excessive.
Japan also lodged a protest with China after a Chinese marine survey ship
chased a Japan Coast Guard vessel on May 3 on what Tokyo claims is the Japanese
side of the median line distinguishing the exclusive economic zones of the two
countries in the East China Sea.
In Saturday's talks, Okada described the Chinese action as deplorable and
unacceptable, while Yang countered that the median line does not demarcate
China's exclusive economic zone.
The East China Sea has often provided a source of tension between the two
countries. The dispute over gas field development in the area stems from the
unsettled demarcation of the sea where the exclusive economic zones claimed by
the two countries overlap.
During the bilateral talks, Okada also referred to the need to swiftly commence
negotiations toward concluding a pact aimed at implementing a 2008 bilateral
accord to jointly explore gas resources in the area.
Okada also told Yang that China should make a commitment to reduce its nuclear
weapons, or at least not increase their number, the Japanese official said.
Yang said China maintains a non-first strike policy and thus does not pose a
nuclear threat.
As for food safety issues, the two foreign ministers also agreed to steadily
work toward setting up a new bilateral initiative on the matter.
The two countries agreed to set up the initiative in the wake of cases
involving tainted Chinese-made frozen dumplings that made a total of 10 people
ill in Japan in December 2007 and January 2008. Chinese police arrested a
Chinese suspect earlier this year.
==Kyodo
