Chinese envoy to Cambodia lashes at Japanese PM

Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine last month was a deceptive act to quibble and whitewash the history of Japanese militarism aggression.

"This act is seriously destructive and sabotages the political base of the relations between China and Japan," Bu wrote in an article titled "International Conscience and Historical Justice Must Not Be Trampled" which was published on Monday in two local leading Khmer language newspapers -- The Rasmei Kampuchea Daily and The Khmer Daily, and in four Chinese language newspapers including The Commercial News, The Phnom Penh Evening Post, The Khmer Daily and The Jian Hua Daily.

"The act brazenly affronts people of all countries that once suffered from Japanese militarist aggression and it is a flagrant provocation to the peace-loving people of the entire world."

She said that it was also an outrageous challenge to the outcomes of the world's victory in the war against fascism and the post-war international order established on the basis of the Charter of the United Nations.

"Abe's act is taking Japan to a very dangerous direction and is severely destroying regional stability and peace," she said. "It also undermines the fundamental interests of people of all countries and of Japan."

Abe's visit to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's war dead including 14 Class-A convicted WWII criminals, on Dec. 26 has triggered strong opposition and condemnation from the Chinese government and people as well as the international community.

Abe's visit was the first by a serving Japanese prime minister since 2006. Ex-Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's annual visit to the shrine during his tenure from 2001 to 2006 were a major factor that affected the ties between Japan and its Asian neighbors.

At least 300,000 Chinese were killed over the course of six weeks by Japanese invaders after they occupied the city of Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province on Dec. 13, 1937.