Japan warns relations with China ‘many difficulties’
Japan’s foreign minister warned that Tokyo-Beijing relations “face many difficulties”, during their first talks in six months with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
Speaking online with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi today, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said that the two countries “should say what needs to be said and engage in dialogue”, according to a statement by Japan’s Foreign Ministry.
Mr. Hayashi warned that bilateral relations “are facing many difficulties and Japanese public opinion is very harsh towards China”. The Japanese foreign minister also expressed concern about China’s growing military presence in the East and South China Seas.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi (left) during an online conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi (on screen) at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Tokyo on May 18. Image: Kyodo.
In response, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that information about “Japan working with the US to deal with China” was appearing more and more and creating a “dark atmosphere”, according to the content of the exchange posted on the Internet. Website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Mr. Wang stated that cooperation between Japan and the US “should not create a situation of confrontation between the parties”.
This is the first meeting between the foreign ministers of China and Japan since November 2021, taking place amid concerns about rising geopolitical tensions.
During the talks, Mr. Hayashi called on China to play a “responsible role” to maintain international peace and security related to the Ukraine crisis.
Japan has joined Western allies in imposing tough sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine, while China has refused to condemn Moscow’s military campaign.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi during a press conference with the Quartet in Melbourne, Australia, February 11. Image: Reuters.
Responding to Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod’s urging Beijing to “use its influence with Moscow to prevent the war in Ukraine” from Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod on May 12, Wang Yi said fighting or sanctions were not the way right way to resolve disagreements.
Today’s China-Japan talks take place ahead of US President Joe Biden’s arrival in Japan this week to meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and attend a meeting of the Quartet, a security mechanism organized by the US, Japan, Australia and India. The degree was established in response to China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Duc Trung (According to AFP)
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