High-Level Talks Proposed Between China, Japan and South Korea Amidst Regional Tensions

Admin July 23, 2023

Image Credit: Google

Chinese Diplomat Wang Yi Proposes High-Level Talks with Japan and South Korea Amidst Regional Tensions

Chinese diplomat Wang Yi made a significant proposition during his meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Indonesia this month.

As reported by Kyodo news agency on Sunday, Wang suggested the idea of high-level talks between China, Japan, and South Korea.

This proposal is seen as a positive signal indicating China's willingness to resume dialogues with its neighboring countries.

In response, Japan expressed its commitment to expedite preparations for the talks to take place before the end of the year, as per the information from unidentified diplomatic sources cited by Kyodo.

The potential talks between the three Asian nations hold particular significance as they come amidst growing concerns over China's increasing military assertiveness and rising tensions between China and the United States on various fronts, including trade and the status of Taiwan.

Both Japan and South Korea, being U.S. allies, are closely monitoring the developments and dynamics in the region.

While Wang and Hayashi discussed various matters during their meeting, such as Japan's plan to discharge treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea, they did not reach a conclusive agreement on the issue.

This particular matter might pose a challenge in facilitating an early meeting of leaders from the three countries, as suggested by Kyodo.

The Last Meeting in December 2019 and The Upcoming Meet

The last time the leaders of China, Japan, and South Korea convened was back in December 2019.

Following Wang's meeting with Hayashi, Japan conveyed the proposal for talks to South Korea, further indicating a potential progress in regional diplomacy.

As of now, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has refrained from immediate comments on the matter, and efforts to reach the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a statement have been unfruitful due to non-business hours.