Japan, China eye 1st high-level economic talks in 8 years

April 10, 2018

Tokyo- The Japanese and Chinese governments are working to resume their high-level economic dialogue as early as this month, after eight years of suspension and ahead of a planned trilateral summit, also including South Korea, in May, informed sources said Monday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a state councilor, plans to visit Japan later this month for the economic dialogue meeting, according to the sources.

The move is part of the two countries' efforts to improve bilateral ties as this year they mark the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of their peace and friendship treaty.

Under the economic dialogue, launched in 2007, Japan and China last held a session in Beijing in 2010. The scheme then stalled amid worsening Japan-China relations, including over intrusions of Chinese government ships into Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands, also claimed by China.

During the next session, the two sides are expected to discuss possible collaboration, including in investments in other Asian countries, under China's Belt and Road initiative and Japan's Indo-Pacific strategy.

Japan is expected to urge China to develop rules on investment and the protection of intellectual property rights and demand that it relax restrictions on imports of food products from Fukushima and nearby Japanese prefectures, imposed after the March 2011 nuclear accident.

China may put forward requests including for a loosening of visa requirements for Chinese visitors to Japan. Jiji Press