|
Tokyo talks planned on disputed waters
By Hu Xiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-09-28 06:14
China and Japan will hold a second round of talks in Tokyo on Friday to
discuss the disputed waters in the East China Sea, the Chinese Foreign Ministry
said yesterday.
Cui Tiankai,
director of the Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Department, will lead a
delegation to Tokyo to discuss the disputed waters in the East China
Sea. |
China Daily has learned that Cui Tiankai, director of the Foreign Ministry's
Asian Affairs Department, will lead a delegation at the meeting, which is likely
to discuss jurisdiction over disputed waters and details of the area's joint
development.
"China hopes the two sides will properly resolve the issue through dialogue
and consultation," ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a regular media briefing
in Beijing.
China appealed for dialogue last week as the Japanese Government discussed
what measures to take after Chinese companies began oil and gas field
exploration in the East China Sea. Qin insisted the operations were taking place
in undisputed waters inside Chinese territory.
Previous high-level meetings on the issue have led to little in the way of
progress.
According to international law, both countries have a right to claim 200
nautical miles (370 kilometres) from their coastline. However, the width of the
East China Sea is less than 400 nautical miles (740 kilometres), so the two
sides' claims overlap. Japan claims a "demarcation line" equidistant from the
shores of the two countries is the border. China says the border lies further
east where the continental shelf ends.
In July, the Japanese Government granted the Teikoku Oil Co rights to
test-drill in a gasfield in the disputed area.
President Zhou Shouwei of CNOOC, China's third-largest oil company, said on
August 30 that China would like to develop the disputed natural gas reserves
jointly with Japanese companies.
CNOOC is developing the Chunxiao field, located in undisputed waters 5
kilometres west of Japan's claimed central "demarcation line."
Sino-Indian border talks
The two-day sixth round of talks on border issues between China and India
ended yesterday with no details issued by either side.
"With the development and improvement of China-India relations, the
atmosphere for resolving the border issue has improved," spokesman Qin said,
adding that the two sides are sincere about seeking a solution.
The two sides have agreed to hold the next round of talks in New Delhi.
(China Daily 09/28/2005 page2)
|
 | | | Tian'anmen Square ready for National Day | | |  | | | Li Ao holds a news conference in Shanghai | | |  | | | North Sword 2005 military exercise | | |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Today's
Top News |
|
|
|
Top China
News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
