A Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Beijing Tuesday that
China's policy of developing a long-term, stable, and
good-neighborly relationship with Japan on the basis of the
principles of drawing a lesson from history and facing up to the
future has not changed, nor will it in the future.?
However, to improve bilateral ties needs the common efforts from
both sides, Qin Gang said at a regular press conference.
The spokesman said the demonstration against Japan in Beijing
over the weekend was a "spontaneous" move, because people were
dissatisfied with the wrong attitude and practice Japan had taken
recently on the issue of its history of aggression.
"The Chinese government has demanded that the demonstrators keep
calm and sane and voice their opinions and attitude in a lawful and
orderly way. We are not in favor of the few excessive actions
during the demonstration," Qin said.
"The police have done a lot to maintain order and to keep the
situation from aggravating, in order to ensure the safety of
Japanese organizations and citizens in China," he said.
Just a week ago, Japan's Education Ministry approved a revised
edition of history textbooks, which are widely criticized for
distorting history and whitewashing its colonial rules and wartime
atrocities last century.
The controversial history textbooks immediately sparked strong
flames of fury from the Chinese from all walks of life, as
thousands took to the streets in the capital to voice their
anger.
The Chinese people are friendly and willing to carry out
friendly cooperation with all countries, Qin said.
"No one wants to take to the streets every day," he
added.?
Qin said the upcoming China-US high-level talks will be
beneficial to the steady and healthy development of bilateral
relations.
The US State Department announced last Friday that the United
States and China had agreed to hold regular senior-level talks on a
range of political and economic issues.
The talks between the two countries on some important issues of
common interests will help increase understanding, enhance mutual
trust and expand cooperation, Qin
said.??
The agreement on the talks was reached during Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice's visit to Beijing last month, according to the
State Department.
"The heads of state of the two countries reached a consensus on
developing constructive cooperation between China and the United
States in Chile last year, and agreed to enhance strategic
dialogue," said Qin.
He said China attaches importance to its dialogue with the
United States and the two countries are holding consultations on
some specific issues.
Turning to Premier Wen
Jiabao's visit to India, Qin described it as "successful and
fruitful."
He said China and India should respect and "strictly honor" the
line of actual control prior to the final settlement of the border
issue.
"One of the most important outcomes of Premier Wen's India visit
is that China and India signed an agreement on political guiding
principles on solving the border issue," he said.
Qin said both sides agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and
mutually acceptable solution to the border issue through equal and
friendly consultations, according to the principles. They also
agreed the final settlement of the border issue will greatly
improve bilateral good-neighborly friendly cooperative ties.
He said China will continue to carry forward the spirit of
Bandung Conference together with various countries in the world,
developing countries in particular.
The Bandung Conference, also known as the Asian-African
Conference, was held in Bandung, Indonesia from April 18 to 24,
1955. Delegations from 29 countries participated in the conference
to discuss major, important international issues.
"The Bandung Conference put forward 10 principles of peaceful
coexistence and friendly cooperation among nations. In sum, it
promoted unity, equality and cooperation," Qin said.
He said Asia and Africa account for 70 percent of the world's
population and their area is half the world's total. Half of the UN
member countries come from the two continents.
"Under new circumstances, the Asian-African countries should
further strengthen cooperation to work together for a peaceful and
stable world," he said.
As a developing country with the largest population in the world
and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China will
continue to make unremitting efforts with all countries, especially
the developing countries, to maintain world peace and promote
common development, he said.
Qin announced that President Hu Jintao
will pay state visits to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and the
Philippines from April 20 to 28.
Hu was invited by Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah,
Indonesian President?Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
Qin said.??
During the visit, Hu will also attend the 2005 Asia-Africa
Summit and activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the
Bandung Conference at the invitation of Susilo and South African
President Thabo Mbeki, Qin said.?
He also announced that at the invitation of Premier Wen,
Australian Prime Minister John Winston Howard will pay a working
visit to China from April 18 to 19.
(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2005)