Economy

APF meeting in Japan postponed as detention of captain extended

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-21 09:49

BEIJING - Asian Packaging Congress 2010 has been postponed because of Japan's detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain earlier this month, the congress's organizers said here Monday.

The event was to be hosted by the Asian Packaging Federation (APF) in Tokyo from Oct 5 to 6, Shi Wanpeng, president of the APF and China Packaging Federation, said.

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Shi did not say when the meeting will be held.

Two Japan Coast Guard patrol ships and a Chinese fishing boat collided in waters off the Diaoyu Islands in East China Sea on Sept 7.

The Japanese side illegally seized the Chinese trawler and fishermen and continues to illegally hold the trawler's Chinese captain, despite Chinese protests.

Japanese authorities Sunday afternoon extended the detention of the captain by another ten days to Sept 29.

The incident, created by the Japanese side, has seriously damaged bilateral contacts between China and Japan, said Shi.

The decision has been relayed to the APF Secretariat Office in Bangkok and to all APF members, he added.