Xi Jinping and Kishida Emphasize Importance of Bilateral Relations in First Meeting

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held their first summit meeting on the 17th in Bangkok, Thailand.

The two leaders discussed regional issues such as the Taiwan Strait and North Korea, as well as the international situation including the war in Ukraine, for about 40 minutes.

Both President Xi and Prime Minister Kishida emphasized the importance of bilateral relations and cooperation in their remarks.

According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, President Xi said, "The importance of China-Japan relations has not changed and will not change in the future," adding, "From a strategic perspective, I want to grasp the major direction of bilateral relations and build a relationship that meets the demands of a new era."

In response, Prime Minister Kishida said this year, "China and Japan are both major powers with important responsibilities for peace and prosperity in the region and the international community," and "I want to accelerate efforts to build a constructive and stable relationship through mutual efforts."

The China-Japan summit was held for the first time in about three years since President Xi and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in Beijing, China, in December 2019. This meeting was made possible as the two leaders visited Bangkok together to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.