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Dumpling scare in Japan will not spoil president's visit there, Beijing insists

Hu Jintao

The 'poisoned dumpling' incident would not affect President Hu Jintao's planned and long-anticipated visit to Japan this year in cherry-blossom season, mainland authorities insisted yesterday.

'I believe China and Japan have sufficient wisdom to reach an appropriate solution to the problem,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said. 'I believe this incident will not affect the pending high-level visits between the two countries.'

At least 10 people in Japan have fallen ill since January after eating dumplings manufactured by Tianyang Food in Hebei province , prompting a scare in Japan over Chinese-made frozen meat dumplings.

Mr Liu said he was confident that Mr Hu's visit, the first by a Chinese head of state to Japan since 1998, would not be affected.

Gao Hong , director of Japanese politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Japanese Studies, said the negative sentiment in Japan would have only a slight effect on the visit.

'An ant cannot bring down a mountain,' Professor Gao said. 'The big trend for the two countries is to move forward for the better.'

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