China rules out meeting with Japan, South Korea
Posted on: Thursday, 8 December 2005, 06:04 CST
BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Thursday ruled out a three-way meeting with Japan and South Korea this year, because of tensions triggered by Japan's wartime past -- the first time the meeting hasn't been held in six years.
The trilateral meeting was due to take place as part of a gathering of Asian leaders in Malaysia on December 14.
The three countries will attend the inaugural meeting of the East Asian Summit, which grew out of annual meetings between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and South Korea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters at a news conference in Beijing that the trilateral meeting would not take place.
"For the reasons known to you all ... there have been no plans recently to hold such a trilateral meeting," he said.
Japan's ties with Beijing and Seoul have chilled with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's pilgrimages to the Yasukuni shrine, which they see as a symbol of past Japanese militarism.
A handful of convicted war criminals are honored there alongside millions of war dead.
Visits by government figures to the shrine are guaranteed to inflame Japan's neighbors. Older Koreans have bitter memories of Japan's brutal 1910-1945 colonial rule, while Chinese have not forgotten its 1931-45 invasion and occupation of parts of China.
Qin also denounced comments by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso urging more transparency in the military and questioned Tokyo's own military intentions.
"It's Japan which needs to explain its recent military movements, because it has caused great concern for its neighbors," Qin said.
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has formally adopted a draft of a new constitution that would recognize the nation's right to maintain a military and play a bigger role in global security.
The present pacifist constitution was drafted in 1947, after World War II, and has never been altered.
Source: REUTERS
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