Japan FM Hayashi gets invitation for official visit by his Chinese counterpart: Report

On Sunday, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi has extended an invitation to him for an official visit, reported Kyodo News. Japan's top diplomat informed that he was given the invitation during a recent telephonic conversation with Wang but no plans have been made yet. "Nothing is fixed and no arrangements are being made as of now," he was quoted as saying by the news outlet. During their conversation, both leaders also agreed on the importance of stabilising bilateral relations, but they disagreed on territory and human rights problems. 

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the mutual visits by government officials from the two countries were mostly halted and Wang hasn't been to Japan in over a year. When asked about US President Joe Biden is considering a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing to protest alleged human rights atrocities in China's far-western Xinjiang region, Hayashi replied the matter needs to be evaluated by the Japanese government "on its own." The Japanese foreign minister also said that he is "paying careful attention" to the issue of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who has not been seen in public since accusing Chinese veteran politician Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault.

'Stable relations' between Washington and Beijing vital: Hayashi

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, November 16, Hayashi stated that "stable relations" between Washington and Beijing are vital for the international community as a whole. His statement came after the virtual summit between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping took place the same day. "For the whole international community, stable relations between the United States and China are critical. The Japanese government is keeping a careful eye on the growth of relations between the two countries," Hayashi was quoted as saying by the news agency Sputnik. 

Meanwhile, the United States and Japan have started talks to address the matters concerning excess capacity in the global steel and aluminium market, stated the Office of the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) office on Saturday, November 13, reported Sputnik. Officials from the United States and Japan are expected to work together to find solutions to bilateral concerns such as steel and aluminium tariffs. According to USTR, the US and Japan have also stated their commitment to take constructive efforts to restore market-oriented conditions. 

(Image: AP)