Chinese FM spokesperson speaks on Wang Yi’s trip to Japan and how two countries will bridge differences

A Kyodo News reporter on Wednesday made inquiries at a Chinese Foreign Ministry press conference regarding Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming visit to Japan. The reporter noted that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba jointly announced with US President Donald Trump during his visit to the US in February that the US and Japan will oppose any attempts by the Chinese government to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Straits by force or coercion. Also early in February, a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel sailed through the Taiwan Straits.

When asked how China and Japan would engage in dialogue to bridge differences under these circumstances, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to Japan to attend the 11th China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting and co-chair the Sixth China-Japan High-Level Economic Dialogue. She added that the relevant information was already released on Tuesday.

Mao further emphasized that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair and brooks no external inference. Japan bears historical responsibilities to the Chinese people for its colonial rule over Taiwan. It must act with extra prudence on this issue. As for the China-related negative moves of Japan you mentioned, China lodged serious protests with Japan immediately after those moves.

The China-Japan relationship is at a crucial juncture for improvement and development. We hope Japan will act on its pledges of comprehensively advancing the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit and building a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship fit for the new era, and we hope it will remove obstacles against the improvement and development of the bilateral relations, Mao noted.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Some analysis in Japan believed that since the September 3 this year, the Chinese government will adopt a harder line toward Japan on the diplomatic front. Commenting on the analysis, Mao said that Japan should be responsible for the history, honor its words and commitments of facing squarely and reflecting on the history of aggression, and follow the path of peaceful development. Only by doing this can Japan earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.

"We hope that Japan can work with us in the same direction, and uphold the principles of facing up to history and opening up the future to advance China-Japan relations in a sound and stable way," Mao said.