Singapore/Tokyo –
Defense Minister Minoru Kihara began his first talks with Chinese defense chief Dong Jun on Saturday on the sidelines of a major Asian security conference in Singapore, amid disagreements between their two countries over Beijing’s activities in the East and South China Seas and near Taiwan.
Kihara was expected to emphasize the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and that Japan’s consistent position has been that issues surrounding the democratic island should be resolved peacefully through dialogue.
The Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are also claimed by Beijing where they are known as the Diaoyu, were also likely on the agenda.
