Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi has expressed strong concern over the detention of a Japanese national in Beijing and China’s increasing military activity near Taiwan and around Japan during a visit to China. Hayashi met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, becoming the first Japanese diplomat to visit China in over three years. The visit comes as tensions between the two nations continue to grow, with Japan considering China’s growing influence in the region a threat to its security and economy.
Hayashi demanded the early release of an Astellas Pharma employee who was detained in Beijing last month over spying allegations, but neither side has provided further details about the allegations or the man. The Japanese minister also raised “serious concern” about China’s increasingly assertive maritime activity in the East China Sea and South China Sea, and stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Hayashi expressed grave concern about Beijing’s increased joint military activity with Russia around Japan, and urged China to act responsibly for global peace. He told Qin that Japan-China relations are currently at an “extremely important phase” and that while there is potential for improved cooperation in economic, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges, there are also “many problems and serious concerns” that need to be addressed.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi (Via Yoshimasa Hayashi/Twitter)
According to Hayashi, the two nations agreed to work together to achieve a “constructive and stable relationship” and to improve communication in regional security, welcoming the establishment of a defense hotline and the resumption of defense talks. The Japanese minister emphasized the importance of Japanese nationals and companies feeling safe to operate in China, given the close economic and business ties between the two nations.
However, China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang warned against Japanese involvement in issues related to Taiwan, saying that Tokyo should not interfere and “undermine China’s sovereignty in any way.” Qin emphasized that the Taiwan issue is at the core of China’s core interests and concerns the political foundation of China-Japan relations, using strong language to express China’s position.
The visit highlights the complex and often contentious relations between Japan and China, with both nations struggling to navigate their differences and find common ground. As tensions continue to simmer, the success or failure of Hayashi’s visit will depend on whether the two nations can reconcile their differences and find a way forward.
