Tokyo's hard-line approach blocks progress in dialogue with Beijing
Beijing told Tokyo yesterday to
face up to a major change in the situation of the Diaoyu Islands (known in
Japan as Senkaku), as Japan announced that Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will
elaborate on the country's territorial disputes at next week's Asia-Europe
Meeting.
Observers said Japan's hard-line
gestures and rhetoric on the heated islands dispute have not led to any major
progress in its dialogue with Beijing, and publicity on the international stage
will drag Tokyo deeper into deadlocked diplomacy with its neighbours.
Japan's Jiji Press News Agency
said Noda will talk about "the solution to disputes in territorial land
and waters" when he makes a speech during the two-day Asia Europe Meeting,
which starts on November 5 in Vientiane, the Laotian capital.
Jiji said that in view of Japan's
territorial disputes with China and South Korea, Noda's speech will emphasise
points he made during the September UN General Assembly in New York.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on
Monday confirmed there is no plan for Chinese and Japanese leaders to meet
during the summit in Laos.
Lu Yaodong, director of the
Japanese diplomacy teaching and research section under the Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences, said: "Most of Japan's proposals that have been made
public so far are not constructive, and it has just glossed over things without
due sincerity."
Despite few major progress, Lu
said it is essential to underscore China's strong desire to guard sovereignty
in further talks. Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told
reporters yesterday that now is not the right time for an official meeting
between him and his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, aimed at improving ties
with China, Kyodo News Agency reported.
Chinese surveillance ships
continued yesterday to patrol waters off the Diaoyu Islands, which have
belonged to China for centuries.
On Tuesday, the Chinese fleet
dispersed Japanese vessels in China's territorial waters.
Beijing said yesterday the recent
patrols and law-enforcement measures were part of "regular missions"
and "normal government service".
"There is no grounds for
blame," a Foreign Ministry spokesman told reporters during a daily news
conference.
Asked if China was constantly
patrolling waters off the Diaoyu Islands, the spokesman said: "The
Japanese side should face up to the reality that the situation over the Diaoyu
Islands has seen a major change."
China's absence at the annual
Tokyo Defence Forum, which started yesterday in Tokyo, triggered Japanese media
speculation on worsening ties between the two countries.
The defence forum has been held
annually by the Japanese Defence Ministry since 1996.
During an opening speech,
Japanese Defence Minister Satoshi Morimoto said the forum will further discuss
the United States' role in the region in response to challenges, and called on
countries in the region to cooperate in facing new security challenges and to
maintain peace and stability.
Xinhua contributed to this story.
Zhang Yunbi
Business & Investment Opportunities
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