On Wednesday, the Japanese Embassy in China informed the Chinese government in a letter that the Japanese side will impose emergency tariffs on green Chinese onions, fresh mushrooms and rushes starting April 23, Xinhua news agency reported.

Gao Yan, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the unilateral decision to impose emergency tariffs by the Japanese government has "seriously harmed Sino-Japanese trade relations" and "is against the rules of fair play."

Sino-Japanese trade has been developed through joint efforts from the two countries' industries in line with Japan's actual market demand, Gao said, adding that China's agricultural products are widely welcomed by Japanese consumers.

The Japanese side, regardless of the facts, has violated the trade liberalization principle it advocates.

"The import limits have harmed the interests of China's exporters..., as well as the interests of the Japanese industry and consumers," Gao said.

(Eastday.com 04/13/2001)