China summons Japanese ambassador over visa issue

China's Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei summoned Japanese ambassador Koreshige Anami Wednesday to lodge a strong protest against the Japanese government issuing an entry visa to Lee Teng-hui.

Deputy Foreign Minister Wu explained China's position on Lee's tour to Japan to the ambassador. Wu said that Lee is the chief representative of the radical force for "Taiwan independence" on Taiwan Island and an out-and-out trouble maker on the international arena.

He said by allowing Lee's entry into Japan the Japanese government is conniving with and supporting the "Taiwan independence" force. The move has sent a wrong signal to the "Taiwan independence" force, and severely disturbed China-Japan relations. The Japanese government must bear all the consequences, he said.

Koreshige Anami promised to report China's protest to the Japanese government. He said again that the Japanese government adheres to the one-China policy, does not support Taiwan independence and will not allow any political activities by Lee Teng-hui in Japan.

Lee, leader of the Taiwan authority from 1988 to 2000, always tried to raise Taiwan's "international profile" during his 12 years as the leader of the island, and went further and further on the way toward "Taiwan independence."

In 1995, he visited the United States on the pretext of an academic tour, which led to a serious retrogression in Sino-US relations and agitated the tense situation across the Straits.

In 1999, before he stepped down, he redefined the island's ties with the mainland as special "state-to-state" relations.

By People's Daily Online