TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, are slated to hold a meeting as early as Thursday, it was learned Tuesday.

The planned meeting is expected to take place on the sidelines of a series of foreign ministers’ meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to be held in Phnom Penh from Wednesday.

The Japanese side aims to confirm the significance of communications with the Chinese side ahead of the 50th anniversary of the normalization of the two countries’ diplomatic relations on Sept. 29, while showing its concerns over pending bilateral issues.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a news conference on Tuesday that Wang and Hayashi will hold talks, adding that the Chinese government hopes the two sides will reach an important and proactive consensus to develop and improve bilateral relations.

The last time Japanese and Chinese foreign ministers met in person was in November 2020. The planned meeting will be Hayashi’s first in-person meeting with Wang since Hayashi took office in November last year. In May, they held a teleconference.

The Japanese side believes it is necessary to continue dialogue with China, even though Chinese government ships have been making intrusions repeatedly into Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa. The Japanese-administered islands are claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu.

In his upcoming talks with Wang, Hayashi is expected to show concerns over a series of related moves by China and call for the establishment of a constructive and stable bilateral relationship.

Hayashi is scheduled to visit Cambodia between Wednesday and Saturday.

Arrangements are also being made to hold a three-way meeting there among Hayashi, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. The three are expected to confirm their countries’ cooperation against the backdrop of China’s growing influence on Pacific island nations.

During his stay in Cambodia, Hayashi may hold talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, as well.

Hayashi is expected to attend meetings including a foreign ministerial session of the East Asia Summit Friday and explain Japan’s position over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the situation in Myanmar.

JIJI Press