After six years of hiatus, China and Japan have agreed to resume regular talks between their ruling parties, announced officials from Japan’s coalition government on Wednesday. The decision marks a significant step in thawing the strained relations between the two Asian giants.
The relationship between China and Japan has been tense, primarily due to various issues, including Japan’s concerns over China’s maritime activities in the East and South China Seas. In addition, China has protested against Japan’s release of treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean.
The agreement to restart talks follows Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s positive remarks about the restart in relations with Japan and South Korea, both US allies. This positive sentiment comes after the leaders of the three nations met for their first three-way summit in four years on Monday.
During the summit, they pledged to revive trade and security dialogues, which had been hindered by global tensions.
Toshimitsu Motegi, secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and Liu Jianchao, who leads the Communist Party’s body responsible for managing ties with foreign political parties, reached the agreement during Liu’s visit to Tokyo. The decision to restart the talks was met with approval from both parties, signaling a willingness to improve bilateral relations.
The ruling party talks, which used to occur approximately once a year, have not taken place since 2018. However, with this recent agreement, both sides are optimistic about resuming exchanges.
The details regarding the commencement of the talks are yet to be finalized, as per the Tatsuya Ito, an LDP lawmaker present at the meeting.
Liu Jianchao, who has been maintaining a busy schedule since assuming office in 2022, further fueling speculations about his potential as China’s next foreign minister, also met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa.
During these meetings, Kishida emphasized the importance of building stable and constructive ties with China, highlighting the significance of exchanges between political parties in developing relations.
Overall, the decision to resume talks between the ruling parties of China and Japan signifies a positive development in their bilateral relations, potentially paving the way for greater cooperation and understanding between the two countries.
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