Chinese, Japanese leaders discuss lingering dispute

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Chinese President Hu Jintao said Saturday that Tokyo needed to "seriously reflect" following massive protests in China over Japan's handling of its wartime atrocities and urged Japan to back up its apologies with action.

But Japan's Prime Minister Junchiro Koizumi downplayed the tensions, calling for China not to be affected by "temporary confrontations and differences of opinion."

Hu's comments came in a rare public statement after meeting with Koizumi on the sidelines of the Asian-African summit in Jakarta in a bid to ease the worst dispute in decades between the two Asian powers.

Textbook row
It was the first top-level discussion since huge anti-Japanese protests erupted earlier this month in major Chinese cities over Tokyo's approval of school textbooks that China claims play down wartime atrocities.

"The strong reaction of the Chinese people and the concerns of people from other Asian countries are something that the Japanese side should seriously reflect on," Hu told reporters after the meeting.

Hu said he and Koizumi had exchanged views on their relations during the closed door talks, which lasted 55 minutes.

"At the moment Sino-Japanese relations face a difficult situation. Such a difficult situation is not one we want to see," Hu said.

If the row cannot be resolved, "it would be detrimental to China and Japan and would affect stability and development in Asia," he warned.

Koizumi agreed that the issue could affect regional ties but struck a more conciliatory note. The two powers are linked by billions of dollars in trade and investment.

"Japan and China have never needed each other as much as they do today," Koizumi told reporters. "We want to promote this relation ... instead of agitating hostile feelings."

Warning on Taiwan
The Chinese president said China and Japan could improve ties if Tokyo refused to support any moves toward independence by Taiwan. Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, but Beijing still claims the island as its territory.

"The question of Taiwan should be correctly handled. It is hoped that the Japanese side will demonstrate through concrete action its adherence to the one-China policy and opposition to Taiwan independence," Hu said.

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