FM spokesman on Dai Bingguo's Japan tour

China hopes Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo's Japan tour for the second round of Sino-Japanese strategic talks can help increase common understanding between the two countries and create conditions for the improvement of Sino- Japanese relations, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao in Beijing on June 23.

Dai left here Thursday morning for Japan, and will confer with Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shotaro Yachi on Sino- Japanese relations and issues of common concern.

Liu said Dai's attendance of the talks is "another important effort" from China to improve Sino-Japanese ties. The talks between the two countries' foreign ministries will help enhance mutual-understanding and expand consensus. It is also conducive to the improvement and advancement of Sino-Japanese relations, he added.

"We expect the two sides can conduct deep discussion on the problems in Sino-Japanese relations, and mark out the future development of bilateral ties", Liu said.

The first round of talks, also attended by Dai and Shotaro Yachi, was conducted in Beijing from May 13 to 14 this year. The two sides agreed during the talks to continue the dialogue process, and held that the two-day dialogue was positive and helpful.

He said that at present, Sino-Japanese political relations are at their worst period since the normalization of bilateral ties. China demands that Japan make concrete efforts on the improvement of Sino-Japanese relations, and take "correct, responsible" attitude on historical issues.

"We ask Japan to properly handle the Taiwan issue, which is our serious concern, keep its promise on the Taiwan issue and avoid official contacts with Taiwan authorities in any form," the spokesman said.

He said although severe problems exist between the two countries, China still holds a positive attitude on promoting Sino- Japanese relations.

Source: Xinhua