PM FUKUDA,S VISIT TO CHINA STILL IN THE PLANNING

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 007575

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2027
TAGS: PREL PGOV CH JN
SUBJECT: PM FUKUDA,S VISIT TO CHINA STILL IN THE PLANNING
STAGES

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons 1.
4 (b/d).


1. (C) Preparations for Japan Prime Minister Fukuda's
upcoming official visit to Japan are underway even though the
dates of the visit and the agenda have yet to be agreed, MFA
Asian Affairs Department Japan Division Deputy Director Lu
Guijun told Poloff on December 19. Lu said the notional
agenda includes discussion of President Hu's upcoming visit
to Japan, economic cooperation, cultural and student
exchanges, Taiwan and the East China Sea territorial dispute.



2. (C) Japanese Embassy First Secretary Katsutoshi Takeda
told Poloff that PM Fukuda is expected to visit China
December 27-30, spending two days in Beijing and two days in
the "countryside," most likely visiting the industrial port
city of Tianjin and Shandong Province.


3. (C) Lu said China hopes PM Fukuda's visit will promote
"positive and constructive" bilateral relations. China-Japan
relations are "pretty good," he said, except for three
issues: the East China Sea territorial dispute, Taiwan and
historical issues. Of these three, Lu stated, Taiwan is the
most important to China, while the East China Sea is most
important to Japan. He characterized both issues as long
standing and complicated, and unlikely to be resolved during
PM Fukuda's visit. Reaching agreement on the East China Sea
dispute prior to PM Fukuda's visit was never a pre-condition
for the visit, he said.


4. (C) Lu told us he was unsure why Japan proposed visits to
Tianjin and Shandong. Japanese Embassy First Secretary Akira
Yokochi said visits to these locations were proposed in order
to highlight positive attributes of both countries' shared
history and economic cooperation. Shandong is the birthplace
of Confucius and the location of a temple complex devoted to
commemorating Confucius' legacy, he said. A visit there will
emphasize both countries' shared ancient history rooted in
Confucian culture. Japan proposed Tianjin because numerous
Japanese companies are doing business there. According to
Yokochi, by stopping in Tianjin, PM Fukuda will emphasize
Japan and China,s strong economic relationship.
RANDT