Xi and Kishida talks raise hopes of better bilateral relations
- Despite tensions between China and Japan, both leaders agreed on mutually beneficial ties, to ‘coexist peacefully’ and seek solutions through dialogue
The main focus of last week’s Apec leaders’ meeting in San Francisco was on the summit on the sidelines between the presidents of China and the United States and agreements that signalled an attempt to reset their relationship. But the bilateral summit between President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also presented a daunting challenge. As one expert put it, thanks to territorial and historical disputes, Beijing’s relations with Tokyo are even more complex than strained China-US ties.
Post-summit statements from the two sides highlighted pledges to improve the tone of relations rather than concrete achievements. The goals were to moderate their animosity to seek mutually beneficial relations and “coexist peacefully”.
Xi and Kishida were meeting for the first time since a year ago, also on the sidelines of an overseas conference, against a background of months of rancour. However, both leaders appeared hopeful and agreed to build “constructive and stable” relations.
That said, they still differ sharply on issues ranging from territorial disputes over islands in the East China Sea, to Tokyo’s sharply increased spending on “self-defence”, its position on Taiwan, support for US efforts to contain China’s rise and the discharge of water from a crippled nuclear power plant.
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China-Japan relations are paramount to regional peace and stability. This year is the 45th anniversary of a peace and friendship treaty. The bilateral summit may have lasted only just over an hour, but Xi and Kishida did pledge to hold high-level talks on economic issues and welcomed the launch of a new framework to discuss export controls. Moreover, the fact that they also discussed such difficult issues as the Taiwan question and the Chinese – and Hong Kong – ban on Japanese seafood imports over the discharge of treated nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima plant, surely flagged reciprocated desires to improve the relationship.
Statements from the two sides on the latter issue showed a gap that will not be easily closed. According to the Chinese side, Xi maintained Japan should take seriously legitimate concerns at home and abroad about the discharge of contaminated water into the ocean and handle the issue in a responsible and constructive manner. Kishida, however, said the two leaders had agreed to expert-level talks “based on science” to seek ways “to find a resolution through consultation and dialogue based on a constructive attitude”.
If both sides resolve to address this conflict and other issues through consultation, that would send a strong signal about their desire for a more constructive relationship.
