Japanese and Chinese Foreign Ministers Attempt to Strengthen Ties

Given the fact that the first series of foreign ministerial meetings in a year echoed long standing issues and differences between the two countries, Shinzo Abe, the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary stated that talks with China will nevertheless ensue till compromise solution would be reached.


In a press conference held in Tokyo today, Abe stated that "The ministers agreed to deepen the exchanges between the two countries on all issues, including economic and security issues. They agreed that the Japan-China relationship is one of the world's most important bilateral relationships. It's important to keep communication open, so we can both respect and understand our different points of view".

One of the latest political misunderstandings between the two countries was discussed during yesterday's meeting of Asian officials in Qatar, where Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso met with his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing. They could not reach consensus regarding Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits of a war memorial in Tokyo that China objects to.

The Yasukuni shrine lodges 14 Japanese military leaders of World War II, who were convicted for charges of war crimes. The Beijing administration calls these repeated visits of the Japanese Prime Minister as a signal that this country has not yet fully separated from its aggressive attitude displayed in the Second World War and has not accepted the fact that it played a major negative role in the second largest conflagration in the world.

Moreover, disputes over gas fields have already added to tensions in the economic departments of the two countries. According to Kyodo news, quoting anonymous Japanese officials and a report of the Pentagon regarding the Chinese military buildup, Chinese warships last October pointed guns at Japanese aircraft, conducting surveillance missions within an area between the two countries where China is drilling for gas. The area has been much disputed as well.