Japanese, Chinese Ministers Discuss Tainted Dumplings, Tibet Riots

Text of report in English by Japan’s largest news agency Kyodo

["Japan, China Ministers Reaffirm Efforts To Solve Dumplings Case" - Kyodo headline]

Tokyo, March 23 Kyodo – Japanese Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga and his Chinese counterpart Xie Xuren reaffirmed Sunday the two countries will seek to clarify the cause of the food-poisoning incidents in Japan involving Chinese-made frozen dumplings.

Speaking to reporters after his talks with Xie in Tokyo, Nukaga also said he raised the issue of the riots in Tibet but the Chinese did not respond.

The two ministers met during the one-day session of the Japan- China Finance Dialogue.

“We agreed that it is important to settle this issue as soon as possible and to make the people of both countries feel at ease,” Nukaga told a press conference.

The food-poisoning incidents involving dumplings tainted with pesticide that led 10 people to fall sick in Japan came to light in late January and the investigative authorities of the two countries have joined hands in probing the cause.

On the riots in Tibet and the resultant crackdown by the Chinese government, Nukaga said, “As a politician who wishes to maintain friendly relations between Japan and China, I conveyed my hope that Beijing will try to seek the understanding of the international community on this matter.”

As the Tibet issue was not an official agenda item for the bilateral finance dialogue, Chinese officials did not express their views on the matter, Nukaga said.

Originally published by Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 1126 23 Mar 08.

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