Minister dismisses Abe speculation
CHINA’S foreign minister said yesterday he hadn’t heard of a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September, according to China Central Television, dismissing speculation of a meeting with President Xi Jinping that month.
Last month, China’s top diplomat told the head of Japan’s National Security Council that China was preparing for “high-level political dialogue” with Japan, stoking hopes of a leaders’ meeting.
Sino-Japanese ties, bedevilled by a dispute over islands in the East China Sea, have improved since Abe met Xi in Beijing in November and the two met for a second mini-summit in April at an Asia-Africa leaders’ gathering in Jakarta.
However, according to CCTV, Wang Yi said yesterday: “I’ve never heard of this matter of Abe visiting China in September. This matter is not on the agenda.”
Wang was speaking on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
Japanese government sources have said another Xi-Abe meeting could take place this year, although some said China probably first wants to see a planned statement by Abe marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Separately, Wang said that US President Barack Obama had not confirmed his attendance at a parade in Beijing to commemorate the end of the war.
“Firstly, the September 3 event is China’s own event. Of course we welcome foreign friends to participate,” especially China’s allies at the time, he said.
Wang said US Secretary of State John Kerry had offered “full support and understanding” for China’s decision to hold events related to the end of the war and they had exchanged views on the South China Sea situation.
Wang stressed that China has adopted a “dual-track” approach in addressing the issue with the ASEAN countries and established a mechanism to negotiate on the issue.
“China is always committed to working with the countries concerned to resolve disputes through peaceful negotiation,” Wang had told Kerry, according to a statement by the foreign ministry.
“Countries that are not in the region should respect the efforts made by China and ASEAN countries,” he added.
Wang told reporters that China and ASEAN countries shared a desire to advance the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and resolve issues through dialogue. They also wanted to strengthen cooperation in security and defense and maintain peace and stability in the area.
A senior US State Department official said Kerry told Wang that while Washington did not take a position on sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, it wanted to see them resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law.
The official said Kerry and Wang also discussed Xi’s visit to the US in September.
“They agreed there are many shared challenges that both countries should work closer together to address, such as climate change and development, and that more dialogue and cooperation between the United States and China remains vital,” the US official told reporters.
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