China rejects Japan navy call
China has rejected a Hong Kong port call by a Japanese naval training fleet, apparently in anger after Tokyo hosted the exiled Uighur leader last month, a media report said on Tuesday.
China told Japan's embassy in Beijing on August 12 it would be difficult to accept the three ships, citing 'sensitive issues,' the English version of the Asahi daily quoted unnamed Japanese government sources as saying.
Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force had reportedly asked China whether the two training vessels and one destroyer, on a 13-nation tour, could make an unscheduled stop in Hong Kong in late August or early September.
The Japanese daily said Chinese officials did not give specific reasons for denying the port call but expressed displeasure with Tokyo for allowing Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer to visit and speak in Japan last month.
In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a brief statement: 'Due to technical reasons, it is not convenient for China to receive the Japanese Self-Defence Forces warships in Hong Kong.' Beijing has accused US-based Kadeer, head of the World Uighur Congress, of instigating last month's unrest in China's Xinjiang region, in which the government says at least 197 people were killed.
Mr Kadeer said in Tokyo that up to 10,000 Uighurs 'disappeared' in the unrest in the regional capital Urumqi.
The state-run China Daily newspaper published an article on Tuesday that said China had 'good reason to refuse a proposed visit to Hong Kong of three Japanese warships,' citing Chinese media and experts.
The report mentioned the visit of 'Xinjiang separatist' Kadeer to Japan, as well as planned visits this year by former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui and exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
The China Daily reported that a Japanese diplomat who declined to be named had said Tokyo and Beijing were still negotiating the suggested visit.
A Japanese defence ministry spokeswoman confirmed the naval training fleet's global voyage with its numerous port calls but said that 'since these are diplomatic arrangements, the ministry cannot make further comments.' Japan's foreign ministry declined to comment on the Asahi report.
China told Japan's embassy in Beijing on August 12 it would be difficult to accept the three ships, citing 'sensitive issues,' the English version of the Asahi daily quoted unnamed Japanese government sources as saying.
Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force had reportedly asked China whether the two training vessels and one destroyer, on a 13-nation tour, could make an unscheduled stop in Hong Kong in late August or early September.
The Japanese daily said Chinese officials did not give specific reasons for denying the port call but expressed displeasure with Tokyo for allowing Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer to visit and speak in Japan last month.
In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a brief statement: 'Due to technical reasons, it is not convenient for China to receive the Japanese Self-Defence Forces warships in Hong Kong.' Beijing has accused US-based Kadeer, head of the World Uighur Congress, of instigating last month's unrest in China's Xinjiang region, in which the government says at least 197 people were killed.
Mr Kadeer said in Tokyo that up to 10,000 Uighurs 'disappeared' in the unrest in the regional capital Urumqi.
The state-run China Daily newspaper published an article on Tuesday that said China had 'good reason to refuse a proposed visit to Hong Kong of three Japanese warships,' citing Chinese media and experts.
The report mentioned the visit of 'Xinjiang separatist' Kadeer to Japan, as well as planned visits this year by former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui and exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
The China Daily reported that a Japanese diplomat who declined to be named had said Tokyo and Beijing were still negotiating the suggested visit.
A Japanese defence ministry spokeswoman confirmed the naval training fleet's global voyage with its numerous port calls but said that 'since these are diplomatic arrangements, the ministry cannot make further comments.' Japan's foreign ministry declined to comment on the Asahi report.