Japan is deeply concerned about the South China Sea situation
Last Updated on November 19, 2024 5:27 am
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed serious concern over the situation surrounding the South China Sea, Hong Kong and Xinjiang in the pair’s first private talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. On Saturday, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tokyo, the press from Lima reported the information to AFP.
In talks on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Peru, the pair agreed to ‘work towards a mutual visit of the relevant foreign ministers as well as cultural exchanges and high-level dialogue on the economy at an appropriate time’.
The bilateral meeting comes after Ishiba took over as prime minister in a parliamentary vote this week, despite the ruling coalition’s worst general election result in 15 years.
Relations between Japan and China have soured as Beijing builds its military capabilities in the region and Tokyo tightens security ties with the United States and its allies.
At the meeting, Ishiba expressed serious concern about the growing activities of the Chinese military and stressed that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is of great importance to Japan and the international community, the Foreign Ministry said.
China has increased military pressure on self-ruled Taiwan in recent years to pressure Taipei to accept its sovereignty claims, which the island’s government rejects.
Xi has already said he hopes Japan will work with China to properly handle major policy issues such as history and Taiwan and to constructively deal with differences, according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.
China has increased military pressure on self-ruled Taiwan in recent years to pressure Taipei to accept its sovereignty claims, which the island’s government rejects.
Xi said China and Japan, whose economic interests and industrial and supply chains are deeply intertwined, should equally pursue the principle of cooperation and maintain a stable and uninterrupted production and supply chain along with the global free trade system.