Japanese foreign minister looks forward to meeting Chinese counterpart

Chinese and Japanese guests shake hands after the signing of the Beijing-Tokyo Forum's 2025-34 cooperation framework agreement on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan. (JIANG XUEQING/CHINA DAILY)

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya once again expressed his desire to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the earliest possible timing during a regular press conference on Tuesday.

"As I said in my remarks at the (20th Tokyo-Beijing) Forum, at the earliest possible timing, I hope to meet with Foreign Minister Wang Yi in person in order to talk about the various challenges between Japan and China through dialogue and exchange views with him," Iwaya said.

While he did not specify the timing for the meeting, he said, "We hope to expeditiously coordinate such a visit."

Iwaya highlighted that "wide-ranging issues will be put on the table so that we can make progress" and underscored the need for seeking progress in search of these items toward resolution.

Iwaya described the 20th Tokyo-Beijing Forum as a great success. At the forum's opening ceremony in Tokyo last week, he stressed the significant regional and global responsibilities shared by Japan and China, emphasizing the widespread anticipation for the constructive and stable development of the bilateral relationship.

In a video address to the forum, Wang described Japan as a vital partner for China and called for an objective and rational perspective on China's development.

"Together, we should uphold the correct positioning of comprehensively advancing the strategic and mutually beneficial relationship, and practice the shared understanding that we are cooperative partners and do not pose threats to each other," Wang said.