Disputed islands Taiwan and North Korea: Japan has expressed to China its “serious concerns” about regional security

Japan on Thursday expressed “serious concerns” about regional security issues to Xi Jinping in Bangkok, where the prime minister is Fumio Kishida The Chinese president had their first face-to-face talks.

The two countries are trade partners, but relations have soured in recent years as the Chinese regime strengthens its military and ambitions in the region.

“I have expressed serious concern about the situation in the East China Sea, including the Senkaku Islands.”Kishida told reporters, referring to the disputed islands controlled by Japan that China calls the Diaoyutai.

He also noted that he had raised concerns about China’s “military activities, including ballistic missile launches” from its territory.

In August, several Chinese missiles fired during military exercises around Taiwan reportedly landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

“stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”He stressed that the two leaders “agreed to strengthen communication in the security field.”

Kishida spoke to Xi on the phone in October 2021 after he was elected prime minister, but this is their first personal meeting.

“With regard to North Korea, I expressed our expectations that China would play a role, including in the United Nations Security Council,” the Japanese prime minister said, hours after Pyongyang launched a new missile.

The leaders of Japan and China held the first meeting between the heads of government of their two countries in three years, with the aim of stabilizing the currently tense relations.

Kishida and Xi spoke for just over half an hour in Bangkok on the eve of the start of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in the Thai capital, with the Japanese prime minister stressing the importance of a “constructive and stable” building. “Relationship. Through the “Efforts of Both Parties.”

“Japan-China relations face many challenges, unfinished business and various possibilities for cooperation.”Japanese Prime Minister said at the beginning of the meeting, captured by Japanese public channel NHK cameras.

Xi agreed with this stance, noting for his part that “the two countries are important to Asia and the world, and they have many common interests and space for cooperation.”

The Japanese CEO stated that both Japan and China are “superpowers with important responsibilities for peace and prosperity in the region and the international community,” which is why it is important to “accelerate” the resolution of their differences.

“The importance of our relations has not changed and will not change in the future. According to the collected remarks, I would like to work with you to fulfill my responsibilities as a politician, grasp the general direction of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective, and build a relationship that meets the requirements of the new era,” the Chinese president said. by NHK.

Thursday was the first summit between Japan and China since September 2019, when Xi met the then prime minister. Shinzo Abeand it was the first conversations between Kishida and Xi since their phone call in October last year, shortly after Kishida took office.

(with information from AFP and EFE)

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