Beijing aims to head off criticism from Tokyo over activities in disputed waters, observers say
China doesn’t want issue to derail upcoming visit by Japanese envoy, they say
Beijing is expected to ask Tokyo to hold off criticising China’s activities in disputed waters during Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida’s upcoming visit, observers say.
Kishida is due to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Saturday. They are expected to discuss the possibility of a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese media reported.
China’s presence in the South China and East China seas has drawn the concern of the G7, which issued a statement in Hiroshima earlier this month.
The group said it opposed “any intimidating, coercive or provocative unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tensions” in regional waters.
Beijing made a strong rebuke, saying the forum had been taken hostage and deviated from its purpose.
G7 forum held hostage over South China Sea: Beijing
“Beijing will properly ask Japan to refrain from criticising China over both the East and South China seas in the coming G7-related meetings,” said Lian Degui, a professor of Japanese studies at the Shanghai International Studies University. He added that Tokyo would ask Beijing to reduce its activities in both areas.
[Japanese envoy Fumio] Kishida will likely be asking China to halt construction in the South China Sea
“Kishida will likely be asking China to halt construction in the South China Sea and make some concessions in the East China Sea,” he said.
The Japanese coastguard said three Chinese coastguard ships entered waters near the Diaoyu Islands, which Japan calls the Senkakus, in the East China Sea yesterday.
Kishida is also expected to seek Wang’s cooperation in pushing forward economic dialogue and talks by the foreign ministers of Japan, China and South Korea, chaired by Tokyo.
Japan and China agreed to resume the economic dialogue, which was last held in 2010, but a meeting has not been held yet.
China and Japan must get ties back on an even keel
Zhou Yongsheng, a Japanese affairs expert at China Foreign Affairs University, said Beijing would maintain dialogue with Tokyo and might agree to talks between Li and Abe.
“A refusal to have dialogue between the two leaders will simply deliver a message that the relationship between China and Japan is very bad,” Zhou said.
“And this is not wanted by either side.”
But Lian said Beijing’s response would depend on whether Tokyo continued to maintain a tough stance on territorial disputes at future G7 meetings.
