The meeting took place in Tokyo, at the level of foreign affairs and defense officials, according to reports.
During the talks, Japanese Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Shigeo Yamada expressed concern over Beijing's intensifying military activities in the East China Sea and collaboration with Russia, as well as Chinese "spy balloons," the report added.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, in turn, raised the issue of Japan's recently adopted security and defense documents, as well as warned against Tokyo's "negative moves" related to Taiwan" in collusion with power outside the region,", Japanese media reported.
A Japanese Coast Guard boat and vessel sail alongside Japanese activists' fishing boat, not in photo, warning the activists away from a group of disputed islands called Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China on Aug. 18, 2013
© AP Photo / Emily Wang
The diplomatic relations between China and Japan are complicated by a number of controversial issues, including Taiwan issue, territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands, Tokyo's close relations with the United States and others. In particular, in its key defense document adopted in mid-December 2022, Japan emphasized the importance of "the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait" and stated about retaliatory strike capabilities, implying ability to target enemy bases.
The recent escalation in bilateral relations took place last week, when the Japanese Defense Ministry said that three unidentified flying objects spotted in Japanese airspace from 2019-2021 had been Chinese "spy balloons." The announcement come amid US statements that the Pentagon has spotted and then shot down an alleged Chinese surveillance balloon over its territory. Beijing has refuted the allegation saying its balloon was a civilian airship engaged in scientific research that veered off course.