Japanese, Chinese Foreign Chiefs to Meet Wed.

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Tuesday that he will visit Beijing on Wednesday for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, hoping to reaffirm a mutually beneficial strategic relationship and a constructive and stable relationship between the two countries.

Iwaya will be the first Japanese foreign minister to visit China since Yoshimasa Hayashi in April 2023. It will be Iwaya's first China visit since he took office in October.

Japan-China relations are "one of the most important bilateral ties for our country," Iwaya told a news conference. "I want to have a frank and in-depth discussion to reduce challenges and pending issues and improve cooperation and coordination."

Iwaya also plans to hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

The planned meetings are expected to cover progress toward China's resumption of imports of Japanese fishery products, Japanese nationals detained in China, tensions in the East and South China seas, and North Korea's military cooperation with Russia.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]