Japan, China Reaffirm Commitment to Mutually Beneficial Ties

Tokyo, Oct. 28 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Tuesday reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to promoting a mutually beneficial strategic relationship to build constructive and stable ties. The two ministers held their first talks over the telephone since the launch of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration last week. During their 30-minute talks, Motegi expressed strong concerns over China’s restrictions on rare earth exports and the increased activities of Chinese vessels in the East China Sea off the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan. Motegi also asked China to release early Japanese people detained in the country and resume imports of Japanese fishery products. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang congratulated Motegi on his inauguration as foreign minister, saying that Beijing is paying attention to positive signals coming from the new Japanese cabinet. Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee, also expressed hope that Japan will take the first step and “fasten the top button” well to improve the bilateral relations. The Chinese official raised concerns about the Takaichi administration’s stance on history and Taiwan, emphasizing that history and Taiwan issues form the basis of bilateral relations between China and Japan. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]