Japanese PM prods China ahead of visit by leader

Hatoyama, an advocate of closer ties with China, could irritate Beijing with his comments at the Bali Democracy Forum in Indonesia, which brings together officials from across Asia, including China.

“There is great expectation that China will continue to make progress, as a responsible power, on the issue of democracy and human rights,” Hatoyama told the audience, in remarks reported by the foreign ministry.

China consistently rejects foreign calls for political relaxation of its one-party Communist administration as meddling in its affairs. It says the country has its own version of democracy and human rights suited to Chinese conditions.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping will visit Japan, as well as South Korea, Cambodia and Myanmar, from Dec. 14 to 22, the Foreign Ministry announced in Beijing.

Spokeswoman Jiang Yu gave no precise dates for Xi's Japan visit, but said it came at a significant time.

Japan and China are the world's second and third biggest economies, between them accounting for 15 percent of global economic output.

Hatoyama made his comments as a 140-strong delegation of lawmakers from his party set off on a trip to Beijing.

Relations between China and Japan, often marked by spats over territorial and other issues, have been generally positive since Hatoyama's landslide election victory.

In contrast with previous prime ministers, he has stressed the importance of deepening ties with countries that have different values.

Hatoyama also pledged to avoid Yasukuni, a shrine to war dead seen by many in Asia as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email