BEIJING: Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi protested in a meeting on Sunday with his Chinese counterpart the detention of a Japanese national in Beijing and raised “strong concern” about China’s escalating military activity near Taiwan and around Japan.
Hayashi is on a two-day visit to China, becoming Japan’s first diplomat to make the trip in more than three years as frictions grow between the countries. He also met Chinese Premier Li Qiang and top diplomat Wang Yi later on Sunday.
During his talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Hayashi demanded an early release of an employee of the Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma, who was detained last month over what the Chinese Foreign Ministry described as spying allegations.
Neither side has offered further details about the man nor the allegations against him. Hayashi told reporters he raised “serious concern” about China’s increasingly assertive activity in the East and South China seas, and stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
He said he also expressed grave concern about Beijing’s increased joint military activity with Russia around Japan while Moscow wages war against Ukraine, and urged China to act responsibly for global peace. Beijing said Qin warned Japan “not to interfere in the Taiwan issue or undermine China’s sovereignty in any form”, stressing that Taiwan is “the core of China’s core interests”.
Hayashi said he told Qin while there is a possibility of improving cooperation in economic, cultural and people exchanges, the two countries also face “many problems and serious concerns” and that “Japan-China relations are currently at an extremely important phase.”
The two ministers agreed to work together in achieving “a constructive and stable relationship” as agreed between their leaders in November, Hayashi said. The sides agreed to improve communication in regional security, and welcomed the establishment of a defense hotline last week and the resumption of defense talks, Hayashi said.
That was the concern raised by Japanese companies on Saturday with Hayashi. They also sought transparent, predictable and fair business environment, said Yukiko Okano, deputy press secretary for the Japanese Foreign Ministry.