Posted on 05/15/2009 12:01:43 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Ambassador cited in China leak of secrets
BY KENJI MINEMURA, THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
2009/5/15
BEIJING--A court ruling here against a former Chinese journalist said Japan's ambassador to China provided about 3 million yen to the accused in exchange for state secrets.
Japanese Ambassador Yuji Miyamoto was identified in the indictment against Yu Jiafu, 62, who headed the foreign affairs bureau of the state-run Xinhua News Agency. But the ruling at the Beijing second intermediate court referred only to an "embassy employee."
"Although I cannot comment on individual dealings in diplomatic activities, I respect local laws and I think there is no problem," Miyamoto said in a statement released by the embassy in Beijing.
Yu was found guilty of passing state secrets and was sentenced on May 5 to 18 years in prison.
The Xinhua News Agency is not only the official press agency of the Chinese government, it also handles internal information for government leaders.
While Chinese authorities are increasingly cracking down on information leaks, it is rare for intelligence-gathering activities by diplomats, particularly an ambassador, to be revealed.
Although Chinese trials concerning state secrets are not open to the public, details of Yu's trial were uncovered through interviews with sources familiar with the case.
According to the ruling, Yu received 207,000 yuan (about 3 million yen) for information on China's foreign policies from around September 2006 to July 2007. Miyamoto became ambassador to China in April 2006.
On Nov. 8, 2006, Yu told the "embassy employee" about Beijing's reaction to North Korea's nuclear test the previous month, including suspension of remittances to that country, the court said.
In addition, the court ruled Yu accepted $3,000 (about 295,000 yen), 3,000 yuan (about 43,000 yen) and a set of golf clubs from a then senior South Korean diplomat based in China in exchange for secret information from July 2003 to August 2005.
The information included details on the schedule of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to North Korea and secret contacts between the North Korean and U.S. governments over the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program, according to the Chinese court.
Yu, who has extensive experience in foreign affairs and participated in a symposium in Japan, was questioned by the Chinese authorities in July 2007 and arrested in December that year.
He has appealed the ruling, arguing that all the information he provided had been reported by the foreign media. He also insists that the money and the gift were simply presents from friends.
He is being held in a detention house of the Beijing state security bureau.(IHT/Asahi: May 15,2009)
Ping!
Yah...just keeping up with the cost of living....;)
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