'Taiwan won't work with China in Japan row'

TAIWAN: President Ma Ying-jeou said Tuesday Taiwan would not join hands with China against Japan in a territorial dispute involving an archipelago in the East China Sea claimed by all three sides.

The dispute has traditionally pitted Taiwan and China on the one hand against Japan on the other, while the territorial issue has so far very rarely given rise to any friction between Taipei and Beijing.

But in an interview with Japanese public broadcaster NHK, Ma said Taiwan has no intention to work with China to avoid hurting Taiwan-Japan ties, according to a statement released by his office. AFP