Editorial | China, Japan and South Korea have pressing interests in common
- Foreign Minister Wang Yi has laid the groundwork to strengthen ties with the country’s neighbours; now is the time to push for greater cooperation and dialogue
Relations between China and its East Asian neighbours, Japan and South Korea, have been put on a more positive footing following Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visits during which he held talks with counterparts and the nations’ leaders.
Shared interests such as cooperating in the fight against Covid-19 and trade were the focus, the sides understanding that practical issues were the best starting point for building mutual trust. Through cooperation there can be a coordinated effort to curb the pandemic and from that and other joint endeavours will come the firm foundation necessary for solid bilateral ties.
Points of contention remain and tensions between Beijing and Washington, which has long had a military alliance with both, is a complication, but the pragmatism and agreements give hope the governments can work together for the common good.
Covid-19 is an especially pressing issue for South Korea and Japan, the former in particular battling to control fresh outbreaks. China has largely brought it under control, is in the forefront of efforts to roll out a vaccine and is the first major economy to recover, so its neighbours have every reason to coordinate and share information.
China and Japan also agreed to resume business travel and cooperate on global warming and on Tokyo’s Summer Olympic Games next year and Beijing’s Winter Olympics in 2022. They also hope to establish a military hotline by the end of the year, an important goal given rising tensions over the disputed Diaoyu Islands, known as the Senkakus by Japan.