"We think the Japanese leaders should have a correct attitude towards the Japanese militarist invasion and should take concrete action to prove their commitment," said Kong at a regular briefing.

Kong was responding to the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on April 21. The shrine, where some Class-A Japanese war criminals of World War II were worshipped, has been regarded as a symbol of Japanese militarism.

"Japan should make adequate retrospection on its history of invasion as it has promised, so as to win the trust of the people in China and in Asia and the international community," said Kong.

Kong's remarks echoed those made by President Jiang Zemin on Monday during his meeting with visiting head of Japan's Komei Party Kanzaki Takenori. Jiang said Koizumi's move has "seriously hurt the feelings of Chinese and Asian people and has inevitably aroused grave concern and strong indignation."

Kong, during Tuesday's briefing, added that China attaches importance to its ties with Japan and pledged that China is willing to develop Sino-Japanese cooperation based on the principle of "taking history as a mirror and looking forward to the future."

Concerning Japan's investigation of a sunken ship in the East China Sea, the spokesman said Chinese law-enforcement ships are already patrolling in the relevant waters according to the law and other relevant regulations in China.

Kong said on Monday that China has decided not to object to Japan's under-water investigation, but added that China will supervise Japan's investigation according to international and national laws.

According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, countries, during their activities in the exclusive economic zone, should take into consideration the rights and duties of the zone's coastal country and follow relevant laws and regulations while the coastal country should also consider the rights and duties of other countries.

Kong said China is also entitled to the same right of investigation in the Japanese exclusive economic zone.

Kong also briefed the press on the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Moscow last Friday.

The foreign ministers from China, Russia, Kyrghyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan exchanged their views on the regional and international situation and the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

(China Daily May 1, 2002)