Japan FM's remarks on Taiwan condemned
(China Daily/AP)
Updated: 2006-03-10 05:57

Aso has ruffled Chinese feathers repeatedly in recent months, most recently by accusing Beijing of using female spies to seduce Japanese diplomats to later blackmail them for classified information.

He also triggered protests from Beijing by calling China a significant threat in Asia, and suggesting that Taiwan's high educational standards were a legacy of Tokyo's 1895-1945 colonial rule over the island.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin also talked about the East China Sea issue. He said China can not accept Japan's proposal to divide the zones through the "median line" for solving the gas dispute as it stems from Japan's unilateral position.

The Japanese demarcation principle is something that "China has never accepted, nor will accept in the future," he said.

China tabled a "rational, reasonable and constructive plan" during bilateral talks in Beijing on Monday and Tuesday, Qin said. "We hope Japan can carefully study the plan proposed by China."

Based on the "continental shelf" principle, Beijing insists it has rights to marine resources east of the median line, to the edge of the continental shelf near Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa.