Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Chinese Premier Li Qiang reaffirm commitment to strengthen ties

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Chinese Premier Li Qiang met in Seoul on Sunday to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening strategic and mutually beneficial ties between their countries.

During the meeting, Kishida expressed his desire to deepen exchanges of opinions in order to pave the way for future collaborations. He emphasized the importance of stabilizing bilateral relations not only for Japan and China but also for the wider region and international community.

Premier Li acknowledged the significant impact of international factors on bilateral relations and stressed the need to manage differences of opinion while working towards constructive and stable ties in the new era.

The leaders also reiterated their commitment to building a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests,” as agreed upon in their previous meeting last November. They discussed promoting cooperation in fields such as the environment, energy conservation, and medical and nursing care.

Kishida raised the issue of China’s suspension of Japanese seafood imports, which was imposed in response to Japan’s release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The plant, which suffered a triple meltdown in 2011, continues to release water containing tritium into the ocean after treatment.

In addition to these pressing issues, Kishida addressed concerns about China’s maritime activities in the East China Sea, detentions of Japanese nationals in China, and the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait amidst military exercises by China near Taiwan.

The meeting between Kishida and Li underscores the continued efforts to improve relations between Japan and China and work towards mutual cooperation and understanding in various areas of strategic importance.