Chinese president Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to Japan in the near term, the first visit by Chinese President to the neighbor in the new century, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in Beijing Wednesday.Yang said both Chinese and Japanese peoples expect President Hu's visit to Japan in spring, which is a beautiful season in Japan.

"There is no such an issue as postponement of President Hu's visit," said Yang at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary session. Foreign affairs departments of the two countries are discussing details of the visit.

He made the remarks when answering questions from a Japanese journalist on whether President Hu's state visit to Japan, scheduled for this spring when cherries are in full bloom, would be postponed to some time after May.

"This visit will be a historic one, which will boost relations between the two countries," Yang said.

Through the visit, China hopes to improve the mechanism of exchanges to place the bilateral relations between the two neighbors on a long-term, health and stable development track.

On the East China Sea issue between China and Japan, Yang said the case is complex and he believes that it is undesirable to set a deadline for bilateral consultation.

Chinese and Japanese leaders reached four new consensus on the issue during Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's visit to China and agreed to find early solutions that serve the overall interests, Yang said.

The foreign ministries of the two countries are building on the current progress and are discussing new solutions, he added.

Responding to the so-called "poisoned dumpling incident", Yang suggested more cooperation between Chinese and Japanese police departments for an earlier and just clarification of the case.

"We hope relevant departments of the two sides, the police in particular, can have more communication and cooperation in a cool-headed, fair, objective and scientific manner to conduct coordinated investigation and find the truth as early as possible, " said Yang.

He believed it necessary to establish a long-term China-Japan food safety cooperation mechanism to carry out more timely and effective cooperation, adding both Chinese and Japanese expect such a mechanism can be set up at an early date.

He stressed China had conducted very serious and responsible investigation into the incident and had timely released initial investigation results, adding that the Chinese government had been taking food safety very seriously for consumers at home and abroad.

China-Africa Cooperation

Commenting on China's engagement and cooperation with Africa, Yang said the partnership and friendship is a driving force behind rapid African economic development.

Yang said that "if one wants to comment on China-Africa cooperation, he should first respect the will and views of the African people." African countries and people welcome China, he noted.

"We're committed to a new strategic partnership with African countries and this partnership is based on sincerity, friendship, equality, mutual support, and common development."

The Chinese foreign minister said the African countries have the right to choose their own partners of cooperation, and they have the right to translate their advantage in resources into advantages in development, and to translate the potential advantages into real advantages through cooperation.

Climate Change

Yang reaffirmed China's stance on climate change, saying it is "unfair and unscientific" to blame China for greenhouse gas emission and climate change. The combined emission of three Chinese were less than that of one person from developed countries on average, he added.

"If one person from developed countries could eat three slices of bread for breakfast while those from developing countries could only have one slice, who do you think should be on diet if we look at greenhouse gas emission from the perspective that all men are born equal?" he said.

"I don't think it's justified for some people to take on moral high ground and speak plausibly about the overall amount of China's greenhouse gas emission," Yang said.

The foreign minister noted that when the issue of climate change was being discussed, people should look at not only the aggregate, but also per capita figures, not only the present but also the history, not only production but also consumption.

"As a good part of China's high quality products were exported, I hope overseas consumers could realize the rising pressure China is facing for emission that should have taken place in their own home country," he said.

Yang said that the climate change should mainly be attributed to the greenhouse gas emission of developed countries. In the period of time to come, however, China's greenhouse gas emission would inevitably increase.

China welcomes the Bali Road Map and would make great efforts and contributions to joint international cooperation in tackling climate change, he said.

World athletes could try lucks in Beijing

Minister Yang said that air quality in Beijing is to become better and better, and he suggested world athletes "try their luck" in breaking world records during the coming summer Olympic Games five months later.

"The majority of the athletes who are going to participate in the Beijing Olympic Games are satisfied with the air quality, environment and sports facilities - they have full confidence in these conditions," Yang said.

"It is up to debate whether China is a major sports country or a world sports power, but there is one thing for sure that many Chinese athletes have broken world records in Beijing. So if they can't break world records elsewhere, maybe they can come to Beijing and try their luck here," he said.

The minister said China takes climate change seriously and Chinese Government has taken a full range of effective measures to tackle climate change.

"I believe air quality will become better in Beijing and in China," he said.

Last Saturday, Jacques Rogge,president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said that China is making big strides in clearing up its air quality ahead of the 2008 Olympics.

China is a Safe Place

Answering a British reporter's question on security concerns, the Chinese Foreign Minister said that the country is one of the safest places in the world.

"If you don't believe it, you can ask your ambassador in China, or any ambassadors from western countries," Yang said. "Do they feel safer in China or elsewhere?" 

More and more tourists are coming to China every year, and it is not easy to reserve a hotel room in Beijing during the coming Olympic Games, though they will be more expensive during the Games, Yang said.

"So I think people believe Beijing is a safe place," he said.

Dalai Lama Issue

The Dalai Lama issue is not a religious or ethnic issue, but one concerning China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Yang.

More and more European countries have realized this, Yang said while evaluating the Sino-European relations at the press conference.

Germany has openly recognize that Tibet is an inalienable part of China, and said it would not support any attempt to seek "Tibet independence", Yang said.

More and more countries have realized the Dalai Lama's conspiracy to split Tibet from China and his secessionist attempt is doomed to fail, he said.

Yang also express great confidence in the relationship between China and Europe.

Sino-European relations have moved forward in steady paces, he said. "We are pleased about the progress."

The seventh Asia Europe Meeting will be held in China in August, which will be a grand gathering for over 40 heads of state and government from Asian and European countries.

Through this meeting, Yang said, China hopes to further improve the cooperation between Asia and Europe in international affairs as well as in economy and trade.

"We hope to promote the dialogue among different civilizations, " he said.

"Very Prudent" on Death Penalty

Defending the country's death penalty, Yang said the Chinese government is very "prudent" in this regard.

Whether there is death penalty or not is decided by a country in light of its own conditions, and China is not the only one in the world that has death penalty, he said.

"China's position on death penalty is very prudent, serious and responsible," he said, citing that the Supreme People's Court took back the power of reviewing death penalty on January 1 last year.

Updated: 2008-03-12 11:05