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Kishida and Li fail to close the gap on treated N-Plant water; Japan wants a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping


Pool photo / The Yomiuri Shimbun
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang shake hands before their talks in Seoul on Sunday.

SEOUL – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang failed to close the rift between their countries over a number of outstanding issues during their talks in Seoul on Sunday, including the treated water discharged from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Kishida and Li confirmed, among other things, that they would promote โ€œstrategic reciprocal relationsโ€ between Japan and China. The Japanese government will now seek a summit between Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping in combination with an international conference in a third country, and continue to look for ways to resolve the issues between the two nations.

โ€œI work from a broad perspective and would like to exchange opinions [with China] further, to provide guidance for the efforts of the governments of both countries,โ€ Kishida said during the talks.

Li said: โ€œThere are complex changes taking place in the international politics and economic environment, which also impact China-Japan relations. I hope Japan and China will come closer and deal with misunderstandings appropriately.โ€

China’s ban on the import of Japanese marine products following the discharge of treated water from the nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. is the biggest pending issue between the two countries. Sunday’s talks failed to reach an agreement as Li called the water “nuclear contaminated” and the two sides failed to agree on terms for an immediate end to the ban Japan is seeking.

Although Kishida and Li agreed to accelerate working-level talks between their countries, it will likely be difficult to resolve the matter quickly. During the two meetings held so far by specialists from both governments, China has demanded that inspections be expanded to include more objects, such as the soil around the nuclear power plant.

During the talks on Sunday, Kishida expressed serious concerns over repeated intrusions into Japanese waters by Chinese ships around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. Kishida also again requested the immediate removal of buoys that China had brought into the waters within Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone without permission.

Kishida further requested the immediate release of Japanese nationals detained by Chinese authorities, but no apparent progress was made on any of these issues.

Kishida also told Li about his concerns about Chinese military exercises in Taiwan.

โ€œI am closely monitoring developments, including the recent military situation. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are extremely important to the international community,โ€ Kishida emphasized.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Li said, “This is the core of China’s core interests, and it is a red line,” in an attempt to curb moves toward cooperation between Japan and Taiwan.

โ€œIf we push for what we need to push for, it will reach Xi through Li. The real test will be the talks with Xi,โ€ said a person close to the Japanese government.

To stabilize Japan-China relations and resolve individual issues of concern, Kishida aims to hold a summit meeting with Xi at an appropriate occasion, such as the Group of Twenty summits in Brazil in November, where Xi is expected to attend are.

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