China, Japan set for top-level talks
Print Edition
China is preparing for “high-level political dialogue” with Japan, its top diplomat told the head of Japan’s National Security Council yesterday, fueling speculation of a leaders’ summit as early as September.
Sino-Japanese ties have improved since Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met Chinese President Xi Jinping at an Asia-Pacific summit in Beijing last November.
The two met for a second mini-summit in April at an Asia-Africa leaders’ gathering in Jakarta, and Japan wants to keep the thaw on track.
“China attaches great importance to your trip and is preparing for high-level political dialogue between the two countries,” State Councillor Yang Jiechi told visiting Japanese National Security Council head Shotaro Yachi.
Yachi, who is a close ally of Abe’s, told Yang that the bilateral relationship was improving and their meeting would be an important channel.
Over the weekend, China’s Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping said Xi had already invited Abe to attend events to commemorate the end of the World War II.
Japanese government sources have said another Xi-Abe meeting could well take place this year, although some said China probably first wants to see a planned statement by Abe marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.
Abe’s critics worry he wants to dilute past government apologies for Japan’s wartime behavior, though he has said he will uphold them.
Yang also criticized Abe for pushing through legislation in the lower house of parliament yesterday, which could see troops sent to fight abroad for the first time since World War II.
Yang told Yachi that Japan’s security bills “would fuel doubts and questions among neighboring countries and the international community” over whether Japan was abandoning its defensive policy, according to a statement on China’s foreign ministry website.
China is keeping a wary eye on Abe’s push for a more muscular defense policy that would ease the pacifist constitution’s constraints on military activity abroad.
Despite those worries, high-level dialogue has already resumed, including Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso’s recent meeting with his Chinese counterpart.
A successful summit with Xi could bolster Abe’s support at home, which has sagged over doubts about his security policy.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
