Japan, China feud begins to worry Asian ministers

Japan, China feud begins to worry Asian ministers

Agencies, Jakarta

Asian foreign ministers on Wednesday called on economic powerhouses China and Japan to resolve a festering row they said was sparking concern across the region.

The dispute has overshadowed a landmark meeting of Asian and African leaders in Indonesia, with all eyes on whether Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Chinese President Hu Jintao will hold talks on the sidelines of the event this week.

Asian ministers, speaking during breaks in talks aimed at strengthening Asia-Africa ties, said the dispute was being scrutinized across a fast-growing region where many countries count Japan and China as key trading partners.

"It won't be good for us if these two giants in Asia are going to have bad relations," Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo told reporters after meeting his Japanese counterpart. "It's not in our interest at all. We hope that there will be enough goodwill on both sides to overcome problems between them."

Thailand's Foreign Minister Kantathi Supamongkhon said he was optimistic a resolution would be found.

"I have talked to my colleagues from China and Japan, I don't expect any problem," he said.

Ministers said the row was not on the table at the Asia-Africa meeting, which host Indonesia hopes will bridge a gap in relations between the two diverse continents.

Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, in a speech at the meeting, reminded Asia and Africa about Japan's generosity, saying that in the past decade Tokyo's aid to poor countries made up 20 percent of the world's total.

"Japan makes good on its promises," Machimura said.

Japanese officials have said Koizumi and Hu might hold separate talks in Indonesia, but no meeting has been confirmed. Sino-Japanese ties are at their worst in three decades, putting at risk a partnership worth $178 billion in annual trade.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said that since both China's and Japan's leaders would be in the capital "there's always a good opportunity for them to meet".

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, who will attend the weekend summit, has said he hopes Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Chinese President Hu Jintao will use the event to mend their rift.

The current dispute, sparked by a Japanese school textbook that plays down World War II excesses, has been exacerbated by Chinese opposition to Tokyo's bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat.