Japan, China mark 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with little fanfare
Japanese and Chinese leaders exchanged messages to mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties on Sept. 29, with little mood for a grand celebration as tensions remain over a territorial row and a deepening rift between Beijing and Western nations over Taiwan.
The messages from Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping were read out at an event hosted by the Keidanren business lobby.
Kishida talked with Xi on the phone days after he became prime minister in October 2021, but Japanese and Chinese leaders have not held a formal summit for around three years.
Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who attended the event with Kishida absent in apparent consideration of the strained bilateral ties, said in a speech that Tokyo and Beijing have a “responsibility for peace and prosperity in the region.”
Despite political disputes, Japan and China have boosted economic relations throughout the past 50 years. (Kyodo)
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