China urges Japan to 'do everything in its power' to improve ties

BEIJING (Kyodo) -- A senior Chinese official urged Japan on Friday to "do everything in its power" to improve bilateral relations, referring to a suspected leak to the Internet of video footage showing a collision between a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese patrol ships in disputed waters in September.

"If the Japanese side is really serious and sincere about overcoming the current difficulties in the relationship and building a strategic relationship of mutual benefit, then it should do everything in its power to move in that direction," Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said in a group interview.

"I hope that the Japanese side will make a right choice," Cui said when asked to comment the apparently leaked video clips available on YouTube.

Chinese authorities have blocked the public's access to YouTube, making it unlikely that the posting of the video clips there will stoke emotions and lead to a fresh round of anti-Japan protests.

But it is equally unlikely that the Chinese public will immediately start questioning Chinese media reports that it was the Japanese vessels that rammed into the Chinese ship in the Sept. 7 incident, contrary to what is shown in the footage.

China has claimed that video images "cannot change the fact or cover the unlawfulness of the Japanese action."

"The patrol vessels of the Japan Coast Guard disturbed, drove away, intercepted, surrounded and held the Chinese fishing boat, which is illegal in itself and severely infringes upon China's territorial sovereignty and the just rights and interests of the Chinese fishermen," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said Monday.