HIGH-LEVEL DIPLOMACY CONTINUES JAPAN-PRC WARMING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 004280

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2017
TAGS: PREL CH TW JA
SUBJECT: HIGH-LEVEL DIPLOMACY CONTINUES JAPAN-PRC WARMING
TREND

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Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).


1. (C) Summary: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Chinese
President Hu Jintao twice on the sidelines of APEC to discuss
ways to strengthen economic, environmental, and security
ties. Marked more by warm atmospherics than progress on
substantive issues, the informal talks signal the warming
trend in Sino-Japan ties is continuing. In addition, Japan
is gearing up for Chinese Communist Party member Jia
Qinglin's September 12-18 visit to Japan. As China's fourth
highest-ranking official, Jia's trip is being characterized
as an important step forward in bilateral relations and was
expected to help pave the way for Abe to visit China before
year-end, according to MOFA and PRC Embassy contacts. Prime
Minister Abe's sudden announcement of his resignation on
September 12 leaves these plans unclear. End Summary.

Abe and Hu Chat over Dinner
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2. (C) Increasing trade, energy cooperation, and stepping up
efforts on environmental protection will strengthen bilateral
ties, Hu told Abe over dinner on September 8, according to
Embassy Tokyo contacts at MOFA. Abe agreed and explained
that Japanese technology can play a key role in helping
achieve mutual environmental goals, according to MOFA China
and Mongolia Division Principal Deputy Director Kazuya Endo.
Boosting mutually beneficial regional cooperation and
expanding cultural, educational, economic, and technological
ties are also crucial, Hu noted. Continuing high-level
official visits, including military exchanges, benefits not
just the people of Japan and China, but also the
international community as a whole, agreed Hu and Abe. Abe's
planned visit to China before the year's end will be another
opportunity to improve ties, Hu stated (although Abe's sudden
resignation calls in question whether Japan's still undecided
next Prime Minister will follow through with these plans).
Turning to regional cooperation, the East Asia Summit is a
good way to expand regional cooperation, Abe noted. In
addition, Japan looks forward to maintaining close
cooperation with China, through the Six-Party Talks process,
in effort to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, Abe told Hu.


3. (C) Abe raised the importance of reaching an agreement on
joint gas development in the East China Sea with Hu, PRC
Embassy Political Officer Chen Zhiwen told Tokyo Embassy
Political Officer on September 12. Abe and Hu agreed to
"leave this problem at the working-level for now." Foreign
Minister Machimura and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi
on September 6 agreed to hold working-level talks in Beijing
on September 21, but the deadlock will be tough to resolve,
and substantive progress in the near-term is unlikely, she
noted.

Abe and Hu Meet Second Time
--------------


4. (C) Abe and Hu reiterated their commitment to boosting
economic, environmental, and regional cooperation during a
second ten-minute meeting on September 9, Endo shared. Hu
updated Abe on preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and
noted that stadium construction is progressing smoothly.
Turning to civil aviation, Abe noted that chartered flights
between Haneda and Shanghai's Hongqia airport will help
facilitate cooperation. (Comment: Japan and China agreed to
establish regular civil passenger charter flights between
these two airports during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's April
11-13 to Japan. Japan was disappointed Beijing was
unwilling to set a start date for the new aviation routes to
take effect, but understood Beijing needed to resolve
technical obstacles first. Endo previously told Embassy
Tokyo that Beijing is committed to increasing aviation
routes, but due to its "cumbersome bureaucracy" will need
time to cut through the red tape necessary to equip Hongqiao,
which only handles domestic traffic at present, for
international flights. End Comment.)

Jia Qinglin's September 12-18 Visit to Japan
--------------


5. (C) As China's fourth-highest ranking official, Chinese
Communist Party member Jia Qinglin's September 12-18 visit to
Japan signals the warming trend in bilateral ties is

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continuing. Jia's visit is being characterized as an
important step forward in bilateral relations by Japanese
diplomats, but it is expected to be marked more by friendly
atmospherics rather than specific agreements, Endo explained.
Jia's visit will help to maintain momentum on the stream of
bilateral government exchanges, Endo explained.


6. (C) That said, domestic political constraints, coupled
with the short lead time, are making it difficult for MOFA
officials to plan Jia's schedule, Endo continued. Senior
government and ruling party leaders will meet with Jia, but
it is difficult for other politicians to meet with foreign
visitors because they are reluctant to be away from the Diet
session at this time, Endo explained. Democratic Party of
Japan President Ichiro Ozawa promised to meet with Jia, and
the Chinese Embassy is still waiting to see if he will be
available, Chen noted. Chen echoed the scheduling
difficulties that Endo relayed, and commented that with only
a two-week notice lead time, the Chinese Embassy was still
nailing down appointments with Japanese politicians (a
situation that will be further complicated by Japan's current
domestic political uncertainty).


7. (C) Jia, and an entourage of 70 accompanying Chinese
officials, will spend two days in Tokyo before heading to
Osaka and Kobe for two days to attend the ninth World Chinese
Entrepreneurs Convention on September 15. Jia will also
visit Hokkaido for two days, in preparation for the 2008 G-8
summit, and will depart for China on the September 18. MOFA
is still arranging the agenda for the trip, but most meetings
will focus on promoting cultural, sports, and student
exchange activities. Jia will also visit local schools and
businesses, Chen said.


8. (C) Abe's resignation will not derail China's improved
relations with Japan, Chen said. Beijing has good relations
with all of the major political parties in Japan, and even if
the next Prime Minister is not from the Liberal Democratic
Party, the warming trend in Sino-Japan relations will
continue. Beijing is seeking to strengthen ties with Tokyo,
and will continue to do. Beijing's unwillingness to
cooperate with Koizumi was due to his stance on history, and
the way he insisted on hurting the feelings of the Chinese
people by visiting Yasukuni Shrine. As long as the next
Japanese Prime Minister does not repeat those mistakes,
Beijing will continue efforts to improve ties with Japan,
Chen asserted.
Schieffer