Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida yesterday said that he conveyed concerns about peace in the Taiwan Strait during a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
The two leaders met in Thailand on the sidelines of the APEC summit, which marks the first leadership-level talks between the two countries in almost three years.
Kishida said he reaffirmed with Xi that they would reopen dialogue between their diplomatic officials and communicate closely on all levels, including at the leadership level.
Photo: AP
“I conveyed my grave concerns about the situation in the East China Sea, including the Senkaku Islands, as well as China’s military presence such as their launching of missiles,” he told reporters.
The disputed islands are known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu (釣魚) in China. Taiwan also claims sovereignty over the islands.
“I also reiterated the importance of peace and security in the Taiwan Strait,” Kishida said.
He added that the two sides agreed that Russia must not use the nuclear option in Ukraine, but he declined to say what Xi said on the issue.
Both countries would prepare for a visit to China by Japan’s foreign minister, he said.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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