FILE PHOTO: Printed Chinese and Japanese flags are seen in this illustration, July 21, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
BEIJING 鈥� Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi discussed disputed islands in the East China Sea on Thursday, with both expressing concerns and Qin hoping Japan could stop 鈥渞ight-wing鈥� provocations.
The disputed East China Sea islets claimed by both China and Japan have long been a sticking point in bilateral relations. China calls the islands Diaoyu, while Japan calls them Senkaku.
In their first conversation since Qin took office, he told Hayashi that Beijing hopes Japan can stop 鈥渞ight-wing forces鈥� from provoking disputes over the contested islands, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.
Hayashi said bilateral relations face 鈥渕any challenges and concerns,鈥� adding that Japanese public opinion toward China is 鈥渆xtremely severe,鈥� Japan鈥檚 Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Hayashi also expressed 鈥渟erious concerns鈥� about the East China Sea, including China鈥檚 activities around the islands, as well as its 鈥渋ncreasingly active military activities near Japan.鈥�
But both agreed on cooperating to build a constructive and stable relationship, and said they would continue close communication at all levels, including at the summit level, the Japanese statement said.