Ishiba voices concern over sea frictions

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba raised “serious concerns” over China’s growing military activities in the South China Sea during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Peru, Japan’s foreign ministry said on Saturday.

“The peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait is extremely important to Japan and the international community,” Ishiba emphasized while highlighting his concern regarding “the situation surrounding the South China Sea, Hong Kong and Xinjiang.”

The talks marked the leaders’ first in-person meeting and occurred amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

Beijing’s assertive territorial claims in the East and South China Seas, coupled with its military pressure on Taiwan, have deepened divisions. A longstanding flashpoint between the nations remains the uninhabited Senkaku Islands, known as Diaoyu in China, which are claimed by Beijing but administered by Tokyo.

Xi urged Japan to “properly handle major issues of principle such as history and Taiwan” and called for efforts to “manage differences constructively.”

He also highlighted the economic interdependence between the two nations, stating that China and Japan should “pursue win-win cooperation and maintain the global free trade system.”

Both sides agreed to expand high-level dialogues on cultural and economic matters, with plans for mutual visits by their foreign ministers, according to Tokyo.