Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is arranging his first summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of an international gathering in mid-November, a source with knowledge of the matter said Thursday.
The Japanese prime minister is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit from Nov. 15 to 16 in Peru and the Group of 20 leaders’ meeting from Nov. 18 to 19 in Brazil. The bilateral summit will most likely take place in Peru, the source said.
Ishiba is expected to call for the early resumption of Japanese marine product shipments to China after the country agreed last month to gradually lift its ban on seafood imports from Japan.
China imposed the ban after the release of treated radioactive water into the sea from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant commenced in August last year.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Kyodo)
Ishiba will likely express concern over China’s growing military activity around Japan, including its first breach of Japanese airspace in August. He will also aim to promote ministerial-level economic dialogue between the two countries.
Earlier this month, Xi sent Ishiba a congratulatory message on being elected prime minister, saying he hopes to promote “strategic and mutually beneficial” relations.
Ishiba met Chinese Premier Li Qiang for the first time on Oct. 10 during his diplomatic debut as Japan’s leader in Laos.
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