CHINA: The Chinese government yesterday urged its people not to take part in violent protests over Japan's war record, a request that could make it easier for Chinese and Japanese leaders to meet at the sidelines of a summit this week.
"Express yourselves calmly, rationally and in an orderly fashion. Do not participate in unapproved marches and other activities and do not do anything that will affect social stability," foreign minister Li Zhaoxing told the people through Chinese media.
While trading ties between the two Asian heavyweights remain healthy, Sino-Japanese ties have reached their lowest level in decades. Mr Li's efforts to calm public sentiment came after three successive weekends of violent protests on the streets of China's major cities over what the Chinese see as a failure by Japan to atone for wartime atrocities.
The riots have included violent attacks on Japanese diplomatic missions.
Mr Li's comments were welcomed by Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi.
"There was a clear tone that the 2,000-year-long history of friendship between Japan and China should be treasured. We can share that idea," he said.
This fresh conciliatory tone has also raised hopes that Mr Koizumi and Chinese president Hu Jintao will meet on the fringes of the Asia-Africa summit in Jakarta to resolve their differences.
UN secretary general Kofi Annan urged the leaders to hold one-to-one talks.
"Both of them will be there, and I think it offers an opportunity, and hopefully they will take advantage," Mr Annan said.
Beijing urged Japan to create "good conditions" for a possible summit, without giving any details.
The protests were prompted initially by the publication of a revised Japanese schoolbook, which Beijing says whitewashes Japan's wartime history.
The protesters are also opposed to Japan's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and angry at annual visits by Mr Koizumi to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, which honours war criminals among the dead.
China has refused Japanese demands to apologise and pay compensation, saying Japan sparked the protests by offending the Chinese people and that Tokyo should be the one to say sorry.