TAIWAN, EAST CHINA SEA MAJOR TOPICS DURING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 005477 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOE FOR VICTOR DER AND JOSEPH GIOVE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV ENRG ECON CH JA SUBJECT: TAIWAN, EAST CHINA SEA MAJOR TOPICS DURING JAPANESE FM'S BEIJING MEETINGS TOKYO 00005477 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer per 1.4 (b/d) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) The Taiwan UN referendum is an extremely "sensitive and serious issue," and Japan should not support it and must take care not to send the wrong message to Taiwan's independence forces, President Hu Jintao, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and other senior officials told FM Koumura during his December 1-3 visit to Beijing. Koumura reaffirmed Japan's position of non-support for the referendum and urged China and Taiwan to resume their dialogue. On the issue of East China Sea joint resource development, Koumura and his interlocutors agreed that a political decision will be necessary to resolve this matter, and State Councilor Tang proposed raising the level of dialogue from the DG to the Vice Minister level. FM Koumura and FM Yang also discussed the DPRK, with Yang calling on Japan and North Korea to improve their relations through dialogue. On Burma, Koumura and Yang agreed on the importance of Special Advisor Gambari's mission and the need for dialogue between the Burmese authorities and Aung San Suu Kyi. End Summary. Taiwan -------------- ¶2. (C) Traveling to Beijing December 1-3 on the occasion of the Japan-China High-level Economic Dialogue (septel), Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura met with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, and had brief courtesy calls on Premier Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao. The issue of Taiwan figured prominently in all of FM Koumura's meetings, MOFA China Division Principal Deputy Director Kazuya Endo told Embassy Tokyo on December 5. Foreign Minister Yang described the March 2008 UN referendum as "an extremely sensitive and serious issue," said he supported Japan's position of non-support for Taiwan's UN membership, and urged Japan "not to send the wrong message to Taiwan's independence forces." President Hu told Koumura that Japan's "appropriate response" to the referendum would help to build constructive Japan-China relations, and that the referendum represents a threat to cross-Strait and regional stability. Both State Councilor Tang and Premier Wen made similar points, Endo said. In all of his meetings, Koumura said that Japan does not support Taiwan's UN membership, expressed his strong hope for the resumption of cross-Strait dialogue and urged both sides not to take steps to unilaterally change the status quo, Endo reported. East China Sea -------------- ¶3. (C) The issue of joint resource development in the East China Sea is "complicated and sensitive," FM Yang told Koumura, and both sides should continue to move forward cooperatively based on the April 2007 understanding that joint development is their ultimate goal. FM Koumura urged resolution of this issue in time for PM Fukuda's visit to Beijing (which has been set for "late this year, or early next year"),and both Koumura and Yang agreed that resolution will require a "political decision." Tang Jiaxuan proposed to Koumura that, to accelerate progress towards a political decision, the two sides should raise the level of dialogue from the Director General to the Vice Minister level. Koumura agreed, but Endo said that MOFA has yet to decide which Vice Minister will be given this responsibility. Endo offered that, while "some progress may be possible" in time for the PM's China trip, "there will not be complete resolution." High-level Visits -------------- TOKYO 00005477 002.2 OF 002 ¶4. (C) In addition to the proposed visit of PM Fukuda to Beijing, FM Koumura discussed with his interlocutors the visit next year of Hu Jintao to Japan. Hu told Koumura that he is "very much looking forward visiting Tokyo," and FM Yang said that he will travel to Japan "early next year" to help to prepare for Hu's visit. (Note: In a separate briefing for Tokyo diplomatic missions, Endo also mentioned that State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan might also visit Japan in early 2008. End note.) DPRK, Burma -------------- ¶5. (C) In his meeting with FM Yang, Koumura praised China's role in the Six Party Talks, and both Koumura and Yang agreed on the importance of the DPRK's declaration and the need for all parties to continue the denuclearization efforts, which to date have yielded progress. In response to Koumura's request for Chinese cooperation and understanding in resolving the abductions issue, Yang offered the PRC's strong support for the resolution of Japan's and the DPRK's differences through dialogue. ¶6. (C) On Burma, both Koumura and Yang expressed their support for UN Special Advisor Gambari's efforts and agreed to press the Burmese authorities to enter into a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi. FM Yang said that the Burmese government is paying close attention to the international community, and that it is important to encourage Burma to take positive steps. SCHIEFFER