Japan, U.S. Reaffirm Importance of Taiwan Strait Stability

New Delhi, May 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. At a 10-minute meeting in New Delhi, Motegi and Rubio exchanged views on the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and economic security. They also discussed issues related to China following a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing earlier this month. They confirmed that Japan and the United States will continue working closely. The two foreign chiefs also talked about the situation in the Middle East. Motegi said it is important for the United States and Iran to reach an agreement at an early date, including on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transport waterway for Middle East crude oil. They agreed to advance Japan-U.S. coordination on the issue. Also on Tuesday, Motegi met with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. They affirmed that their countries will cooperate in various fields, including economic security. The bilateral meetings took place on the sidelines of a foreign ministers meeting of the Quad countries, also including India. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]