China, Japan mull restarting ministerial talks on economic affairs after 5 ½-year gap, says report
Japan and China are negotiating a resumption of a ministerial meeting focusing on economic affairs in Tokyo this month, which would be the first such talks in 5½ years, the Sankei newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Taro Aso, Japan’s finance minister and deputy prime minister, his Chinese counterpart as well as the foreign ministers of both countries would participate, the paper reported without citing sources.
The expected meeting comes as worries over China’s economic slowdown roil global financial markets.
The agenda is likely to include coordination on economic, environmental and trade affairs, according to the paper.
Japan’s finance ministry was not immediately available to comment.
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The finance ministers are also expected to discuss whether to resume a currency swap arrangement between the Bank of Japan and the People’s Bank of China, it said.
The ministerial economic dialogue has been held roughly once a year until 2010, but has not been held since then after territorial disputes strained relations.
