US-China Hold Talks On Maritime Security In Hawaii

Beijing: The Chinese and US militaries held their second working group meeting of the year, according to the Chinese navy, which was quoted by the country's state media. Xinhua reported that the annual session of the China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) for 2025 was held from November 18 to November 20 in Hawaii, the United States. 

The first meeting of MMCA's 2025 working group was held in Shanghai in April this year. The exchanges were conducted based on equality and respect, and the two sides had a "candid and constructive" exchange of views primarily on maritime and aerial security issues involving China and the United States. 

The talks took place amidst tensions between Beijing and Tokyo over the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan. Takaichi suggested on November 7 that Tokyo could deploy its military forces in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing has now taken the matter to the United Nations, accusing Japan of making "erroneous" statements, according to the Global Times. 

China's Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Cong, on Friday wrote a formal letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, outlining Beijing's position on the "erroneous words and deeds" of Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi concerning Taiwan. Following these comments, China reimposed its recently lifted ban on Japanese seafood imports and issued a travel alert for Chinese citizens visiting Japan. 

Fu said in his letter that Takaichi's comments were unprecedented since Japan's surrender in 1945. According to him, this is the first time a Japanese leader has linked Taiwan to Japan's collective self-defence rights and suggested armed involvement. He described her remarks as “extremely erroneous, highly dangerous, and extremely malicious.” 

Tokyo has rejected Beijing's call for Takaichi to retract her comments. Japan has argued that its statements reflect national security concerns and are based on its own interpretation of regional threats. 

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