China urges Japan to stay prudent on Taiwan question

BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- China urges Japan to have a profound reflection on history, learn lessons from history, stay prudent on the Taiwan question, refrain from harming China's sovereignty in any form, and avoid sending any wrong message to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks when asked to comment on media reports that the Japanese government said Chinese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Jun canceled his planned visit to Japan, and there are media analysis saying that the move is related to the visit to Japan by head of Taiwan's so-called foreign affairs authorities Lin Chia-lung.

"I'd refer you to competent authorities on the specific reason of Minister Han Jun postponing his visit to Japan," said Lin Jian, adding that China holds an open attitude toward maintaining engagement at various levels with Japan.

The spokesperson said that if Japan has the sincerity of conducting exchanges with China, it should take concrete actions to earnestly abide by the one-China principle, uphold the political foundation of China-Japan relations, and act on the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan as well as Japan's commitment of comprehensively advancing the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit, instead of saying one thing but doing another.

On Lin Chia-lung's visit to Japan, the spokesperson stressed that by allowing Lin Chia-lung to pay a "personal trip," Japan provides a stage for the separatist activities of "Taiwan independence" forces, seriously violates the basic norms governing international relations and principles in the four political documents between China and Japan, and sends out a severely wrong signal. ■