DATE FOR HU'S VISIT HAS NO RELATION TO DUMPLINGS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 000825 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2028 TAGS: PREL PGOV CH JA SUBJECT: DATE FOR HU'S VISIT HAS NO RELATION TO DUMPLINGS Classified By: Political Regional Unit Chief Mark Tesone. Reasons 1.4(b/d). ¶1. (C) The date for President Hu Jintao's planned visit to Japan has still not been set for reasons unrelated to the poisoned dumplings incident, MFA and Japanese Embassy officials told POLOFF on March 6. ¶2. (C) MFA Asian Affairs Department Japan Division Deputy Director Lu Guijun said the ongoing investigation of poisoned dumplings exported from China to Japan has had a "bad influence" on China-Japan relations, but has "no relation" to setting the date for Hu's visit. Both sides have yet to identify a mutually convenient date, he stated. ¶3. (C) Japanese Embassy First Secretary Akira Yokochi concurred that both sides are still discussing the date for Hu's visit. He stressed that the dumpling incident has "nothing to do with the date at all." Yokochi cited plans for head of state visits from South Korea and the European Union to Japan as factors influencing the timing of Hu's visit. Tokyo has proposed early May for President Hu's visit and is awaiting Beijing's response, Yokochi said. RANDT