Japan's foreign minister said Thursday he had spoken the previous day with his Chinese counterpart for the first time since last November, when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks about Japan's potential involvement in an attack on Taiwan triggered a sharp backlash from Beijing.
Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters in Manila that he and Wang Yi briefly spoke about bilateral ties as they crossed paths between their separate meetings with ASEAN foreign ministers at the same venue.
Motegi said Japan remains committed to dialogue with China at all levels, despite strained bilateral ties.
"Given the important roles Japan and China play in regional peace, it is essential that we continue engaging in dialogue," he said.
The focus now is whether the latest exchange will help pave the way for a meeting between Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November.
The two ministers are in Manila to attend ASEAN-related foreign ministers' meetings. According to Motegi, Wang had just finished his meeting with counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations shortly before Motegi attended the Japan-ASEAN meeting.
In November, Takaichi told a parliamentary session that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could present a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, prompting a response from its defense forces in support of the United States.
China viewed the remarks as interference in its internal affairs. In response, it tightened pressure on Tokyo by urging its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan and by restricting exports of rare earths and other dual-use goods with both civilian and military applications.
Government-to-government dialogue between the two countries has largely stalled.
Motegi also said he briefly spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during Tuesday's ASEAN gala dinner.
"As longtime acquaintances, we exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional issues," he said. Tokyo-Moscow relations have deteriorated due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Wang told his ASEAN counterparts on Wednesday to "never allow militarism to stage a comeback," in an apparent criticism of defense buildup policies spearheaded by the Takaichi government, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
In the China-ASEAN foreign ministers' talks in Manila, Wang also urged the Southeast Asian countries to "firmly reject unjustified external interference" and oppose the formation of "exclusive small groupings," in an apparent reference to the Quad, which is widely viewed as a counterweight to Beijing's rise.
The Quad ministers from the United States, Japan, Australia and India reaffirmed their commitment Wednesday to closer cooperation with ASEAN members.
