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TOKYO: Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed with Japan to restart a
dialogue on human rights, officials said, as he faced protests
Thursday over his handling of protests in Tibet.
Hu is paying his first visit overseas since
unrest broke out in the Himalayan region in March in a long-planned
trip to repair strained relations with Japan.
In his summit with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo
Fukuda, the two countries agreed to restart a standing dialogue on
human rights issues, the Japanese side said.
The dialogue was broken off in 2000 as relations
soured between Asia’s two largest economic powers, which have a
series of disputes including over gas resources and Japan’s past
imperialism.
“Both sides agreed to hold a dialogue and
cooperate on the international issue of human rights on the basis of
equality and mutual respect,” said a Japanese government statement
issued a day after the summit.
Hu, the first Chinese president to visit Japan
in 10 years and only the second ever, was due later on Thursday to
deliver a speech at Tokyo’s prestigious Waseda University.
Before his arrival, about 100 protesters,
including students and ordinary citizens, waved Tibetan flags and
chanted “Free Tibet!”
The protest was peaceful, with the demonstrators
following loudspeaker orders by police not to block the roads.
“I decided to take part in this, not because
of leftist or rightist political ideologies, but as a citizen,”
said Tadashi Miyamoto, a freelance event producer.
“I can’t fathom the reasons for hiding
people’s deaths,” he added.
Tibet’s government-in-exile says more than 200
people have been killed in the Chinese crackdown. China denies this
and instead blames Tibetan “rioters” and “insurgents” for
killing 21 people.
-- AFP
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