China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have held comprehensive and in-depth discussions on nuclear issue involving the DPRK and the forthcoming six-party nuclear talks in Beijing.

Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who will wrap up his three-day visit to the DPRK on Saturday, met DPRK Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Yong-il and DPRK First Vice-Foreign Minister Kang Sok-ju on Thursday and Friday respectively.

China and the DPRK hope that the forthcoming six-party nuclear talks will strengthen prospects for a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue through dialogue. The DPRK announced on Monday that the six-party nuclear talks would be held in Beijing. The participants will include the DPRK, the United States, China, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan and Russia. But the specific time and venue for the talks are still unknown.

It is reported that diplomats from the United States, Japan and ROK will meet in Washington on August 13 and 14 to co-ordinate policy on DPRK ahead of the talks.

Poisonous chemicals

Emergency workers in full exposure suits inspect a rusty can containing toxic gas Thursday, August 7, in suburban Qiqihar, northeastern China's Heilongjiang Province. [newsphoto.com]

In another development, China on Friday urged Japan to accept responsibility for the suffering inflicted on Chinese citizens because of poisonous chemicals left behind by the Japanese invaders during World War II.

An accident in which 29 people were injured by poisonous chemicals occurred on a construction site in Qiqihar, in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Monday.

According to Foreign Ministry sources, Chinese experts thought the poison was left behind by the Japanese invaders during their invasion into China.

Fu Ying, director of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Friday urgently requested the Japanese minister in Beijing to make serious representations to his government on this matter.

The use of bacterial and chemical weapons was a serious crime committed by the Japanese invaders and the Japanese side has inescapable responsibility for this issue left by history, Fu said.

She said China hopes the Japanese side go to the site of the accident as soon as possible and handle it properly.

Fu said the disposal of Japanese chemical weapons left in China is about to enter an decisive stage, as a result of the assistance of the Chinese side.

Japan should accept its political, moral and legal obligations on this issue in accordance with political documents, including the China-Japan Joint Declaration and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, Fu said.

She urged the Japanese side to speed up its work and solve this issue in its entirety as soon as possible.

The accident happened before the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which is on August 12. Both China and Japan will hold a series of activities to celebrate the event. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda will visit China August 9-11 to participate in activities commemorating the event.

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