Japan's official development assistance to China cannot compensate for its occupation of Chinese territory in the 1930s and 1940s, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.
The two matters should be viewed separately, Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a scheduled news briefing. His comment was in response to a May 26 statement by Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, who said Japan's post-World War II aid to Asian countries indicates it has repented for the war.
"I'd like to separate these two issues clearly," Liu said. "We can't eliminate the period of history when Japan caused damage and catastrophe to Asian countries just because Japan has provided aid to the relevant countries."
Liu called ODA and other Japanese economic cooperation with China a "positive effort" advantageous to both countries.