Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies) – China’s Foreign Minister offered yesterday to reopen negotiations with Japan over islands claimed by both governments in a move necessary to improved mutual ties. This was confirmed by Japanese officials.
Li Zhaoxing, Beijing’s representative on an official visit to Tokyo, told Japan’s premier Shinzo Abe that China “hoped to resume talks next month over how to share oil and gas deposits in the East China Sea.”
The Diaoyu – Senkaku in Japanese – Islands have been at the heart of a territorial dispute between Tokyo, Beijing and Taiwan for some time. On April 13, 2005, Japan authorised private companies to start natural gas exploration on the seabed around the islands. China called the decision a "grave provocation" and warned Japan that by continuing to claim sovereignty over the islands it would cause relations between the two countries – two of the world's major energy importers – to "badly deteriorate". Talks in fact broke down last July.
At the beginning of February, Japan protested against the entry of a Chinese ship in the contested area.
Li said China wanted "patient and serious discussions on the issue that could be held as soon as in March”. Abe said he wanted to solve the problem "at an early date", but did not set a firm time.
The visit of China’s Foreign Minister paves the way for a visit by Premier Wen Jiabao who should go to the land of the rising sun as soon as possible. If his trip is confirmed, he would be the first Chinese leader to go to Japan since 2000.