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Taiwan, Japan
negotiate dates for fisheries meeting
HOPEFUL: Little progress was made at last year¡¦s
meeting, but officials from the two countries said they hope this year¡¦s meeting
will remedy that
Staff writer, with CNA
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that Taiwan and Japan are still
negotiating on the date for a second meeting in preparation for a new round of
bilateral talks on fishing rights near the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (³¨³½¥x).
Su Chii-cherng (Ĭ±Ò¸Û), deputy director-general of the ministry¡¦s Department of
East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said the two countries are still negotiating
over the date and agenda of the second preparatory meeting, adding that they
hope the meeting will close a gap opened by the previous meeting.
Wire reports said tension in the disputed island chain in the East China Sea ¡X
which Japan calls the Senkakus ¡X could be escalating after Chinese military
planes recently approached an area north of the islands and flew inside Japan¡¦s
air defense identification zone, prompting Japan to scramble fighter jets in the
area.
In response to the matter, Su said Tokyo intends to continue fishery talks with
Taiwan and he forecast that the talks will not be affected by the tensions
between China and Japan.
Taiwan and Japan held their first preparatory meeting in late November last year
in Tokyo in an effort to restart a new round of formal fisheries talks, which
would be the 17th round since 1996.
The two countries made little progress at the meeting last year, but said they
would continue to negotiate with sincerity and goodwill so that a second
preparatory meeting can be convened.
The uninhabited island chain, which lies about 100 nautical miles (185km)
northeast of Taiwan, is said to sit atop valuable mineral resources is
surrounded by rich fishing grounds.
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