FM’s visit paves way for regional stability
Enhanced China- Japan ties dilute US Indo- Pacific Strategy: expert
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s ongoing visit to Japan, one of the rare high- level bilateral exchanges to yield important and substantial results, laid a good foundation for the further stability and improvement of China- Japan relations as well as regional stability and economic integration, against the backdrop of the US’ intensified anti- China policy, which has brought great strategic uncertainty to Northeast Asia, Chinese analysts said.
The strengthened economic cooperation and mutual trust between China and Japan would also restrain and dilute the US Indo- Pacific Strategy, with its military objective of containing China, analysts noted.
Chinese analysts believe the strengthened China- Japan ties were based on their need to promote regional stability and trade, and it was also a practical need for China as the current China- US ties were unlikely to significantly improve in the short term.
During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Wang said China- Japan relations have finally returned to the right track, and the two sides should cherish this hardwon situation.
Suga said that developing stable Japan- China relations is of great importance not only to both countries, but also to the region and the international community.
Wang’s meeting with Suga came after a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Tuesday, during which the two sides reached consensus on a wide range of issues, including fighting the COVID- 19 pandemic, promoting economic recovery, and supporting each other in hosting the Olympic Games.
Both sides agreed to make efforts for the early enforcement of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ( RCEP), and to accelerate negotiations on the China- JapanSouth Korea free trade agreement and regional cooperation.
On the Diaoyu Islands issue, Wang said that some Japanese fishing boats of unknown origin have repeatedly entered the sensitive waters, which prompted China’s necessary response.
Wang called on both sides to earnestly abide by the fourpoint consensus reached between China and Japan, avoid taking actions in sensitive waters that would complicate the situation, and timely and properly deal with problems.
Yang Xiyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times that the most important strategic significance of Wang’s Japan visit was that it stabilized China- Japan relations, as the two countries have reached a crossroads at a time when sinking China- US relations have further complicated China- Japan relations. China and Japan’s strengthening of mutual trust and having dialogues on security issues would dilute and restrain the US Indo- Pacific Strategy, Yang said.
Japan has been seeking a balance between China and the US, as it relies on the US for political and military security, but needs China for the development of its economy.