Leaders of China and Japan in talks
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-04-24 17:06

Chinese President Hu Jintao met Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Saturday for talks aimed at patching up relations that have plummeted to their worst in three decades.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (L) and Chinese President Hu Jintao shake hands before the start of their meeting at the conclusion of the Asian-Africa leaders summit in Jakarta, April 23, 2005. The ice-breaking talks took place a day after Koizumi apologized for Japan's past atrocities in Asia. [AP]

The talks were taking place in Jakarta at the end of meetings between Asian and African leaders, a day after Koizumi made an unusually public apology for Japan's past atrocities in Asia.

Asked how the meeting went as he left a Jakarta hotel where the talks took place, Koizumi said: "Very good." He made no other remarks.

Kong Quan, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, earlier told reporters Beijing wanted friendly relations with Japan, but added Hu was expected to tell Koizumi that Tokyo must face up to its wartime history for good ties to exist.

"The development of relations must have a basis. This basis is to take history as a mirror and face the future and I think President Hu Jintao will reiterate this point," Kong said.

"We hope leaders of the two countries can ... eliminate the negative impact created by the erroneous actions of the Japanese side so that Sino-Japanese relations can move forward smoothly under a healthy foundation."

Ties between the economic powerhouses have deteriorated to their worst since the normalization of relations in 1972, putting at risk economic links worth $212 billion in annual trade.

There have been violent anti-Japan demonstrations in China over school history textbooks that critics say sugarcoat its wartime history and over other irritants, including Tokyo's campaign for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.

Beijing says 35 million Chinese were killed or wounded during Japan's 1931-45 occupation of much of the country.

On Friday, Koizumi apologized in a speech before 100 Asian and African leaders, including Hu, for the "tremendous damage and suffering" caused by Japan's wartime past.

Asked about Chinese government comments that action was more important than words, Koizumi, speaking during a visit to Indonesia's tsunami-hit Aceh province, said:

"In the last 60 years we have became an economic superpower and not a military state. (We are a) peaceful nation reflecting on the experience of the war."

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