Japan voices deep concern to China over military links with Russia --- Kyodo News

TOKYO - Tokyo has conveyed deep concern to China over its increased military activity around Japanese waters and involvement with Russia, Japan's Foreign Ministry said Monday. At a bilateral high-level dialogue on maritime affairs in Tokyo held in person for the first time since May 2019, Japan also reiterated the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to the ministry, with the comments coming in the wake of recent Chinese military exercises conducted in the region in response to U.S.-Taiwan talks. Meetings between Japan and China under the high-level consultation mechanism on maritime affairs, including the previous one last November, had been held online for the past few years due to the coronavirus pandemic. During Monday's meeting, the two countries confirmed a commitment to begin operation of a hotline, established between their defense authorities in March, while agreeing to strengthen communication through high-level exchanges. In addition to the repeated entry of Chinese vessels into waters near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, Japan has expressed concerns over Beijing's unilateral extraction of natural gas in a contested area in the region, the ministry said. The two countries at the meeting reaffirmed their intent to work toward implementing a 2008 bilateral accord on joint gas development in the area. Japan also strongly protested China against its continued dissemination of unscientific claims regarding Tokyo's plan to start releasing treated radioactive water into the sea from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant later this year, according to the ministry. Discussions were led by Takehiro Funakoshi, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, and Hong Liang, head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs. Defense Ministry and coast guard officials from both countries were also among the participants of the meeting.

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