Fumio Kishida Urges A Peaceful Resolution of Cross-Strait Issues

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a press conference in Germany on June 28th, saying that the G7 countries emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and urged a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues to reach an agreement.

The Prime Minister said at the press conference that Communist China’s continued intrusion into Japan’s territorial waters around the Diaoyu Islands and its unilateral gas field development in the East China Sea, reflecting the severe situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. The Prime Minister once again stressed the principle that unilateral changes to the status quo through force are unacceptable.

On this basis, as a member of the G7, he stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and made it clear that all parties concerned should reach a consensus on promoting the peaceful settlement of cross-strait issues. When referring to talks with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping, he said there are currently no arrangements.

Kishida expressed when asked if he would hold a summit meeting with Xi on the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations with Communist China in September, he said that there is no decision on the talks yet, but he believes dialogue at all levels is important. The position that should be advocated is not regressing, but at the same time he wants to conceive of concrete talks.