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Overview of the Japan-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting

May 22, 2011

Japanese

On May 22, Mr. Takeaki Matsumoto, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a meeting with Dr. Yang Jiechi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China for approximately 45 minutes beginning at 11:50 AM. At the outset of the meeting, Minister Yang described the Japan-China-ROK Trilateral Summit and the Japan-China Summit Meeting as a major success and highly appreciated the efforts made by Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Foreign Minister Matsumoto to that end.

1.High-Level Exchanges

Minister Yang reiterated his invitation to Minister Matsumoto to visit China. Minister Matsumoto said he would like to visit China as early as possible, at a mutually convenient time.

2.Japan-China Cooperation in the Wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake

1. （1）Minister Matsumoto appreciated a number of specific suggestions for assistance in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made at the summit meeting that was just held. Both sides shared the view that it was important for the two countries to steadily implement the measures for cooperation suggested at the summit meeting at the working level and that this would further the "Mutually Beneficial Relationship based on Common Strategic Interests."
2. （2）Both sides praised the fact that a number of specific measures had already been taken, including the consultations between Japanese and Chinese experts in nuclear safety on May 20 in Tokyo, and the provision of satellite image data of the disaster areas by China. Minister Matsumoto said he welcomed visits to Japan by a tourism-related mission headed by the Director of the National Tourism Administration and by a delegation aiming at promoting trade and investment and reconstruction assistance. He said that the Government of Japan would also make its best efforts. Minister Matsumoto said he would like to invite some 50 junior experts in seismology and disaster management at an appropriate time so that they would be able to exchange views with their Japanese counterparts.

3. Maritime Cooperation

Minister Matsumoto reiterated his call for an early resumption of negotiations on the international agreement regarding resources development in the East China Sea. He stated he would like to develop a maritime crisis management mechanism involving diplomatic and defense authorities and maritime law-enforcement agencies as suggested by Premier Wen at the summit meeting. Minister Matsumoto also said he would like to see the early conclusion of a Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) agreement between the two countries. In response, Minister Yang stated that China’s stance on materializing the common understanding of 2008 remains unchanged and that he would like to improve communication towards the resumption of such negotiations. As for an SAR agreement, Minister Yang said the two countries should expedite relevant negotiations as they had already agreed to work for an early conclusion. In the course of these discussions, Minister Matsumoto explained Japan’s basic stance on the Senkaku Islands.

4.Promoting the Signing of Treaties and Agreements

Minister Matsumoto expressed his hope that both sides would work together for the early commencement of consultations with a view to concluding an agreement between Japan and China on social security and for the early signing of a bilateral treaty on the transfer of sentenced persons and a bilateral treaty on extradition. In response, Minister Yang noted that a preliminary exchange of views had been held for a social security agreement at the working level and expressed hope that both sides will start negotiations as soon as possible after making sufficient preparations. As for the treaty on the transfer of sentenced prisoners and on extradition, he stated his willingness to hold serious negotiations on the two treaties.

5.The "Movie and TV Week" and the" Anime Festival"

Both sides agreed to develop bilateral relations by taking advantage of opportunities offered by the events celebrating the start of the Movie and TV Week and the Anime Festival on June 8 in Beijing and Shanghai.

In addition to the above, both sides had a brief exchange of views on North Korea (in light of the fact that a relatively in-depth exchange of views was held at the Japan-China summit meeting).