China hopes India-Japan ties would conducive to regional peace

China today hoped that the development of India and Japan relations would be conducive to regional peace and stability as Japanese Emperor Akihito began a high-profile visit to India.
"We hope the development of bilateral ties by relevant countries will be conducive to regional, peace, stability and development," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hong Lei told a media briefing here answering a question on how China sees Akihito's ongoing visit to India.
Akihito along with his wife Empress Michiko arrived in New Delhi on Saturday on a six-day visit, their first to any South Asian country after being enthroned as Royal couple in 1990.

Hong's reaction came as media reports quoted a Japanese official accompanying Akihito as saying that the Emperor's visit has the singular aim of improving bilateral ties with India and not intended to counter China.
Beijing appears sensitive to India expanding ties with Japan and Vietnam, two of its maritime neighbours with whom it has troubled relationship.
China keeps a wary eye on India's Look East Policy under which New Delhi looks to expand its influence in Beijing's backyard.

Akihito's visit comes at a time when China and Japan are slugging out over the disputed islands in East China Sea, called Diaoyus by Beijing and Senkakus by Tokyo.

China which began contesting Japan's administrative control over the islands since last year has constituted a new Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the islands in East China Sea stipulating that all aircraft that passes through that has to identify themselves.
US, Japanese and South Korean defence planes already violated the Chinese rules while civilian American airlines along with several top airlines companies began registering their plans with the Chinese authorities.
Japan, however, declined to do so and asked its civilian airlines not to implement the Chinese instructions.
The purpose of China's ADIZ is to safeguard the security of China's territorial air space and flight order and security in the related airspace, Hong said.

"It will not affect the freedom of navigation in East China Sea. Many countries have ADIZs and we home relevant country will cooperate with us in this regard," he said.
He commended US airlines decision to follow the Chinese rules. "It shows that they are willing to cooperate with China to safeguard security and flight order in East China Sea. We commend that," he said.
"On the other hand Japan is deliberately politicising the relevant issue. It will do no good for both of our countries in the field of civil aviation. We urge the Japanese side to stop this erroneous action and groundless accusations, take responsible attitude and cooperate with China to maintain the flight order and security in the areas above East China Sea," he said.