JAPANESE Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday (Nov 16) he hoped to build “constructive, stable” relations with China, ahead of a scheduled meeting with its leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in Bangkok.

The first in-person talks between Kishida and Xi would come in the wake of Monday’s landmark US-China summit that aimed to thaw tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

“There are various opportunities that lie between the two countries, as well as challenges and concerns,” Kishida told reporters, when asked about Japan’s relationship with China.

“I’d like to say what needs to be said, and ask China to take responsible action. On the other hand, the two countries need to cooperate in areas where they can,” Kishida said of his scheduled meeting with Xi.

“My hope is to have this meeting lead to a constructive and stable relationship” between Japan and China, he said.

Having both attended the G20 summit on the resort island of Bali, Indonesia, Kishida and Xi will meet in Bangkok on Thursday on the sidelines of the APEC leaders’ gathering.

GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY

Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign UpVIEW ALL

Ahead of Xi’s meeting with Kishida, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said Beijing and Tokyo will properly handle differences and build a relationship suited for a new era.

Sino-Japanese ties, long plagued by historical and territorial rows, have been further strained after China fired ballistic missiles into waters near Japan following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August.

China’s increased pressure on Taiwan and assertive stance towards Asian neighbours, backed by its rapid military build-up, have alarmed Japan enough to identify the country as its chief adversary in its 2019 defence whitepaper.

Kishida declined to comment, when asked whether he will discuss Taiwan during his meeting with Xi.

The last in-person between the leaders of the Asian neighbours was in December 2019, when Xi met with then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Beijing. REUTERS