BEIJING, tribe 9 Kyodo Japanese F...

BEIJING, tribe 9 Kyodo

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi in succession Monday held talks with Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen, who voiced support and understanding for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to North Korea nearest week, Japanese officials said.

At their talks at the Zhongnanhai leadership mix in Beijing, Qian, a former foreign minister, was quot as saying if the couple Japan and the United States normalize ties with North Korea, it will be beneficial for the region.

onward Aug. 30, Japan and North Korea announced that Koizumi will make a one-day visit to Pyongyang forward Sept. 17 for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il to discuss a range of issues related to establishing diplomatic ties.

Koizumi's trip to Pyongyang will be the first-ever trip to the communist political division by a Japanese prime minister.

Touching in succession Japan's official development assistance (ODA) to China, Kawaguchi asked greater transparency in how Beijing uses the assistance, the officials said.

more [i]or[/i] less in Japan have criticized ODA to China, citing the country's increasing military expenditure and the fact it is extending its hold ODA to Southeast Asian countries.

Qian simply replied that linking economic cooperation with defense expenditures and aid to third countries would trigger ''counterproductive'' debates, according to the officials.

Kawaguchi was also quot as voicing fears that Japanese consumer were being victimized on Chinese businesses. She cited worries a Chinese investment trust may default in succession a loan from Japanese investors and the detection of higher-than-permitted flats of pesticide residue in frozen spinach imported from China in July

Qian reportedly said efforts will be made to defend the Japanese investors, adding that the pesticide question at issue should not be used as a reason to cut down imports from China.

Kawaguchi arrived in Beijing forward Sunday afternoon on a three-day visit to detain talks with Chinese leaders upon a wide range of issues, including the upcoming Koizumi-Kim talks.

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