Important files on the first visit of a Japanese foreign minister to China in 3 years
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi discussed regional and security files during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang, today, Sunday, in a visit to the Chinese capital Beijing, the first by a Japanese foreign minister in more than 3 years.
The visit comes at a time when the two countries are seeking common ground amid escalating regional tensions
Hayashi expressed Japan's deep concern over China's increasing military activity, including Beijing's rapprochement with Moscow and its presence in the East China Sea.
The two sides emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue on issues including national security," he said, adding that he had spoken to Chen about "the importance of ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," according to Reuters.
Hayashi noted that although Japan and China have their differences, they agreed to resume trilateral talks with South Korea, describing the agreement during his meeting with Chen as an "important achievement."
"We agreed to continue to communicate closely at several levels, including the level of the foreign ministers and the level of leaders," he added.
Hayashi told reporters after his meeting with Chen that he had asked China to release a Japanese citizen being held there.
"I lodged a protest against the recent detention of a Japanese citizen in Beijing and made very strong our position on the matter, including the early release of this citizen," he added.
He added that Japan calls for transparency regarding the legal procedure for detention, but he did not mention China's reaction to that.
The visit comes a week after a spokesperson for Japan-based Astellas Pharma announced that one of its employees had been detained in China for unknown reasons. Kyodo News reported that, apart from this case, at least 16 Japanese nationals have been detained in China since 2015 on suspicion of spying activities.
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