Japan, China reaffirm need for peaceful solution to Taiwan issue

Asian Political News, March 21, 2005

TOKYO, March 15 Kyodo

Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura and Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing reaffirmed the need Tuesday for a peaceful solution to the cross-strait issue, Japanese officials said.

Li was quoted as telling Machimura over the phone that an anti-secession law Chinese legislators enacted Monday showed China's resolve to unify the country peacefully and protect sovereignty and territory.

Machimura urged Li to soon resume dialogue with Taiwan, voicing concern that the law justifying Beijing's use of force against Taiwan as the last resort to prevent its independence could adversely affect the situation.

Machimura reiterated Japan does not support Taiwan's independence from China but is also opposed to the use of force against the island.

On North Korea, Machimura and Li again agreed the six-country talks on Pyongyang's nuclear arms programs should soon be resumed, the officials said.

Machimura indicated that China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States should deal with the North Korean nuclear issue more urgently as last month Pyongyang declared it possesses a nuclear arsenal. North Korea is the sixth country involved in the multiparty talks.

Li was quoted as saying it is most important that the six countries reconvene at an early date and the nuclear issue is settled peacefully through the multinational talks.

The six parties held the last full talks last June and have failed to convene another round due mainly to differences between Pyongyang and Washington.