DPA
Taipei, May 6 (DPA) Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has urged Japan not to sacrifice Taiwan’s interests when Tokyo signs a new communique with China this week. “Regarding (Chinese President) Hu Jintao visiting Japan, we are happy to see China-Japan ties improve because it benefits Taiwan-Japan ties,” Chen said while receiving Japanese parliamentarian Tamazawa Tokiuchiro.

“As to the political document Chinese and Japanese leaders are going to sign, I hope it will not contain words which hurt the Taiwan people. Taiwan is a sovereign country, not part of China,” he said.

Hu is due to start a five-day visit to Japan Tuesday.

He will meet Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to discuss climate change, China-Japan ties, a dispute over gas fields in the East China Sea, Chinese food safety rules and perhaps Taiwan and Tibet.

Press reports said China and Japan are working on a joint communique to be issued after the Hu-Fukuda summit Wednesday.

Japan cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan to recognize China in 1972, but maintains close trade ties with Taipei.

Taiwan hopes that Japan can treat Taiwan as a de facto sovereign country and maintain high-level unofficial ties with Taipei despite the lack of official ties with Taiwan.
DPA