In a rare high-level meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing holds talks with his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso on the sidelines of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue conference, scheduled to be held in Qatar on May 23 and 24, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao said at a regular press conference on Tuesday.

 

"The two foreign ministers will have in-depth discussions on China-Japan relations," Liu said. He explained the meeting was arranged for Tuesday in Qatar local time but no other details were available.

 

Leaders of the two countries suspended exchanges in 2001 after Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro began visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine which honors convicted Japanese war criminals.

 

This will be Li's first meeting with Aso who became Japan's foreign minister last October.

 

"In the past two weeks, the two sides have kept in contact and consulted with one another about the meeting," Liu said. "The Yasukuni Shrine issue is the main sticking point in China-Japan relations. I'm sure the two foreign ministers will talk about it during their meeting," he commented.

 

Liu said China valued its relations with Japan and had never stopped trying to improve ties. "China's efforts are well-known to the Japanese side," Liu said. "We hope the meeting in Qatar will help improve and develop China-Japan ties," he said.

 

Turning to the extradition of Lai Changxing, the alleged smuggling kingpin, Liu said the Chinese government has urged Canada to extradite him as soon as possible to face trial in China.

 

Lai is accused of leading a gang which conducted, in collaboration with corrupt officials in coastal Xiamen City, Fujian Province, the biggest smuggling operation uncovered in China since 1949. The case involved goods worth US$10 billion.

 

Lai fled to Canada with his family in 1999 and has been attempting to gain refugee status. Liu said the Chinese government had taken a firm stance on the issue and had reiterated their position to the Canadian government. 

 

On exports of high-tech products Liu said China urged the US to ease its restrictions on the export of such goods to China as they had a pivotal position in bilateral trade.

 

"China hopes the US can throw away 'Cold War' ideology and relax its restrictions on exports of high-tech products to China from the perspective of bilateral cooperation and strategic relations," Liu said.

 

He added that US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill would visit China on Wednesday and Thursday for an exchange of views with the Chinese side on the six-party talks.

 

Hill, also the US chief negotiator for the six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue, will discuss with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei the promotion of the talks.

 

In response to a question concerning the attendance of Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmud al-Zahar at the upcoming China-Arab ministerial meeting Liu said the Chinese government hoped China-Israel relations would be unaffected by this.

 

The Second Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum is to be held in Beijing on May 31 and June 1. Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his counterparts or their representatives from 22 Arab countries and the Arab League will attend.

 

When asked to comment on the formation of the new Iraqi government, which was inaugurated on May 20, Liu said the Chinese government was glad the new government was in place. He added that China hoped the Iraqi reconstruction process would make greater progress under the new leadership. .

 

He said China hoped Iraq would realize stability and development as soon as possible. China was ready to work with the new government to advance bilateral ties of friendship and cooperation.

 

In other announcements Liu said China respected the choice of Montenegrin people and would accept the results of the referendum. Just over 55 percent of Montenegrin voters supported the Balkan republic's independence from Serbia-Montenegro the results of the referendum showed Tuesday.

 

The turnout in Sunday's referendum was 86.3 percent according to the Republican Referendum Commission. China believed that Serbia and Montenegro would properly handle their relations through friendly consultations, Liu said.

 

Liu also announced that Paek Nam-sun, minister of foreign affairs of North Korea, would pay a visit to China between May 30 and June 6 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Li who, along with Chinese leaders, would meet with him and talks on a range of topics would be held.    

 

Besides Beijing, Paek will also visit Guangzhou, capital of south China's economically thriving Guangdong Province.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2006)