China-Japan relations: don’t let maritime spat hamper progress, Chinese envoy says

‘The improvement in diplomatic relations … has not been matched with that of security relations,’ ambassador Kong Xuanyou says

‘Irrational discussions … have clouded the understanding of China among the Japanese public,’ he says

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China and Japan should not let a dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands derail their improving relations, Beijing’s envoy to Tokyo says. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 7:00pm, 30 Sep 2020Updated: 10:30pm, 30 Sep 2020

China’s ambassador to Japan has called on Tokyo to build political trust with Beijing and work to ensure maritime disputes do not derail relations ahead of a possible visit by China’s foreign minister next month.

In an article posted on the embassy’s website on Tuesday, ambassador Kong Xuanyou expressed concerns about the worsening state of relations between the two countries.

“There is a concerning trend in Japan that the politicised and irrational discussions about China lately have clouded the understanding of China among the Japanese public and worsened the momentum in Sino-Japanese relations,” he said.

Although relations between the two countries have warmed in recent years, after decades of animosity over territorial and historical disputes, Kong said that since the start of the coronavirus pandemic things had taken a backwards step.

Allowing such negative discussions to ferment would harm the interests of both countries, he said.

Tokyo and Beijing are reported to be discussing a visit to Japan by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in October. He is expected to meet his counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga who took office earlier this month.

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