【北京時事】中国外務省の姜瑜・副報道局長は11日未明、東シナ海の尖閣諸島（中国名・釣魚島）付近で起きた海上保安庁巡視船と中国漁船の衝突事件をめぐる日本側の措置に反発し、今月中旬に予定していた東シナ海ガス田共同開発に関する日中両政府の条約締結交渉第2回会合の延期を決めたことを明らかにした。
衝突事件をめぐり、中国側は丹羽宇一郎駐中国大使を3度呼び出すなど、抗議をエスカレートさせていたが、日本側への対抗措置を打ち出したのは初めて。外交だけでなく、日中間のほかの分野への影響も懸念される。
姜副報道局長は、日本で公務執行妨害容疑で逮捕された漁船の中国人船長に10日間の拘置決定が出されたことについて、「中国側の度重なる抗議にもかかわらず、日本側は船長に対して『司法手続き』をあえて行使した」として、強い不満と抗議の意を表明した。
その上で「釣魚島と付属の島は中国固有の領土であり、国際法と基本的な国際常識に違反するような日本側の振る舞いは荒唐無稽（むけい）で、違法かつ無効だ」と強調。「日本側が勝手気ままに振る舞うならば、自ら報いを受けることになる」と警告した。
東シナ海ガス田をめぐっては、2008年6月に日中両国が共同開発に合意したが、日本側が早期の条約交渉入りを求めたのに対し、国内に反対論を抱える中国側が応ぜず難航。鳩山前政権下の今年5月の日中首脳会談でようやく交渉開始が決まり、7月に初めての会合が東京で開かれたばかりだった。
[China cancels Japan talks, warns on sea dispute]
BEIJING (Reuters) – China called off planned talks with Japan over an undersea gas bed dispute and warned that worse repercussions may follow, state media said on Saturday, intensifying pressure in a rift between the two big neighbors.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued its vehement warning after a Japanese court on Friday authorized a 10-day extension in detaining a Chinese captain whose fishing boat collided with two Japanese coast guard ships in disputed seas this week.
The arrest of the captain and continued detention of 14 crew members has given an emotive focus for long-running territorial quarrels between Beijing and Tokyo over East China Sea islets, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
Asia's two biggest economies are also at loggerheads over gas beds under another part of the sea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu responded angrily to the Japanese court's decision.
Beijing postponed a round of talks with Tokyo intended to eventually settle their dispute over East China Sea gas fields, she said in a statement on the Chinese Foreign Ministry web site (www.mfa.gov.cn) late on Friday.
The talks had been set for mid-September.
Jiang warned that worse may follow but gave no details.
"Japan has ignored China's many solemn representations and staunch opposition, and obstinately decided to impose so-called judicial procedures on the Chinese captain. China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and solemn protest," Jiang said.
"Japan's actions have violated international law and rudimentary common sense in international matters. They are absurd, illegal and invalid.
"If Japan continues in this reckless fashion, it will taste its own bitter fruit," Jiang said.
A source in the Japanese prime minister's office said it was "regrettable that a postponement (of the talks) was announced unilaterally," the Kyodo news agency said.
MUTUAL DISTRUST
Relations between Beijing and Tokyo have long been dogged by mutual distrust and Chinese bitterness over Japan's occupation of much of China before and during World War Two.
Chinese media have warned that public opinion could become riled by the arrest and Beijing's official stand appears partly intended to ward off accusations of weakness from angry citizens.
On Saturday morning, more police officers than usual guarded the Japanese embassy in Beijing, but there were no signs of protest preparations. China's ruling Communist Party is wary of any street protests and usually makes certain that any demonstrations aimed at Japan are small and tightly guarded.
Tokyo has also lodged protests with Beijing over the incident and Japan's government spokesman earlier urged calm. Japan has not said whether it plans to prosecute the captain or how long it intends to hold the crew members in detention.
Broader contention over the disputed seas could unsettle ties between Asia's two biggest economies. Since big public protests and bitter diplomatic exchanges sparked rows in 2005 and 2006, both sides have sought to improve ties.
Tokyo maintains that China's exploration for natural gas in the East China Sea threatens gas beds extending under what it deems Japan's maritime zone. China denies there is such a problem and disputes Japan's definition of the sea boundary.
In 2008, they agreed in principle to solve the dispute by jointly developing gas fields. Talks began in July on a treaty, but the postponement of the next round of talks will hold back prospects for progress in the dispute.
