THE Taiwan question and adherence to the One-China principle were some of the sensitive issues discussed during a high-level visit made by a senior Chinese communist party official to Japan.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang warmly welcomed Chinese Communist Party diplomat Liu Jianchao in Tokyo for talks.
Both sides agreed on the importance of continuing bilateral dialogue and overcoming challenges in their relations by maintaining high-level exchanges.
“I just had an in-depth exchange of views with Prime Minister Kishida on bilateral relations between our two countries and on interactions between the Communist Party of China and Japanese political parties. A consensus we reached is that both sides should keep high-level exchanges and effectively implement the important consensus reached by President Xi and Prime Minister Kishida on bilateral relations. At the same time, we should also promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and advance the mutually beneficial strategic relationship between China and Japan. Als,o we attach importance to some challenges and differences in existence between the two countries, and we hope we could gradually settle these issues through diplomatic channels and negotiations between the two sides,” Liu Jianchao CCP International Liaison Department Minister said.
Liu told Kishida that Japan should adhere to the one-China principle, which views Taiwan as an inalienable part of Chinese territory. Beijing recently conducted two-day military drills through Friday around the self-ruled island following the inauguration of its new President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing considers a separatist.
Japan’s release of treated radioactive water from the disabled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean was also brought up. The release of treated water which started last year urged China to impose a blanket ban on all seafood imports from Japan.
Liu’s visit to Japan came a few days after a rare trilateral summit between South Korea, Japan, and China in Seoul this past weekend. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang represented their respective countries at the summit.
In his meeting with Kishida, Liu said China firmly supports peaceful reunification with Taiwan but warned Beijing will not hesitate to take action if the forces advocating for “Taiwan independence” will not give peaceful reunification a chance.
