China Says Japan Should 'Face Up' to History About WWII Sex Slaves

BEIJING, March 6 -- The Japanese government should acknowledge that thousands of foreign women were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japanese troops in World War II, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

"I believe the Japanese government should face up to this part of history, take the responsibility and seriously view and properly handle this issue," Li said at a news conference on the sidelines of China's legislature, the National People's Congress. "History in my view is a strong progressive force. It should not become a burden that impedes progress."

It was the Chinese government's first formal response to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who on Thursday denied that evidence showed Japan had forced about 200,000 women -- including Koreans, Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipinos, Japanese, Dutch and others -- to serve in military brothels in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Japanese government in 1993 issued an apology for overseeing the brothels. On Monday, after his denial that women had been coerced into sexual slavery, Abe said Japan would not apologize again, even if the U.S. Congress adopted a pending resolution calling for such a statement, but also said he stood by the 1993 apology.

In a nod to the recent thaw in China-Japan relations, Li stressed that nothing should disrupt the friendship of the two countries and affect an important mid-April visit to Japan by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The visit will be the first by a Chinese premier in seven years. Japan's trade with China has doubled over the past five years, creating millions of jobs in China.

"This year is the 35th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan relations. We should seize this important opportunity in growing the China-Japan relationship, properly handle the issues of principle -- as they are the political foundation of our bilateral relationship -- and maintain and sustain the momentum for the turnaround, improvement and growth of China-Japan relations," Li said.

On a separate front, Li called upon Iran to "step up its cooperation" with the International Atomic Energy Agency. China is a close economic partner of Iran and has been trying to help restart discussions on the country's nuclear program.

"We believe that the resolution adopted by the United Nations should be implemented," Li said, referring to a resolution that demanded Iran suspend its uranium enrichment. "We welcome support and also call upon Iran to step up its cooperation with the IAEA. We also hope that Iran will cherish the channels for dialogue and negotiation with the countries of the E.U. and Russia."