Japan and China’s defence ministers are meeting in Singapore for the first time in their respective posts, the Japan Times informed.
Defence Minister Minoru Kihara met with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun on Saturday to discuss issues such as the Senkaku Islands on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore.
According to defence minister of Japan: “There are many security concerns between Japan and China, such as the situation in the East China Sea, including the Senkaku Islands, and the Chinese military’s increased activity in the sea and airspace around Japan. It is important to have candid discussions between the Japanese and Chinese defence authorities precisely because there are many security concerns between the two countries”
This is the first bilateral meeting between Kihara and Dong, who took up his current post in December last year. A previous similar meeting between the Japanese and Chinese defence ministers took place last June, also on the sidelines of the same security gathering.
At the meeting, Kihara raised concerns over China’s growing activities around Japan and said Japan is keen to build a stable and constructive relationship with China by continuing soul-searching talks between defence officials.
Kihara emphasised the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan established the administration of President Lai Jing-te last month. By taking a Japan-centric stance, Beijing fears Taipei’s strengthening ties with Tokyo. Dong, for his part, highlighted:
“We want to seek ways to build the China-Japan relationship in a constructive and stable manner.”
A hotline between Japan’s and China’s defence departments has been in operation since May last year to avoid accidental clashes. Kihara and Dong confirmed that the hotline will work properly and shared the importance of continued dialogue between the two countries.
