Japan's prime minister repeats call for talks with China during November APEC meeting
Shinzo Abe hopes to have a summit meeting with Xi Jinping when the two leaders attend November's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation talks in Beijing, he said in Brazil on Saturday
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday reiterated his desire to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit talks in Beijing in November.
“I hope to have a Japan-China summit meeting during the APEC forum in November,” Abe said at a press conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil when asked about strained relations between the two Asian neighbours.
“Japan and China should talk because we have issues to solve.”
“Japan and China should talk because we have issues to solve,” he said. “My door is always open for dialogue, and I would like China to have the same attitude.”
Since assuming the premiership for the second time in December 2012, Abe has been unable to hold one-on-one talks with Xi as the two countries remain at odds over territory and perceptions of history.
Beijing has said there will be no summit talks unless Tokyo changes its stance on some Japan-controlled, China-claimed islands in the East China Sea.
