Abe, Xi Meet at Summit of Asian and African Nations

By Asad Qureshi.

 
JAKARTA, Indonesia—Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping met Wednesday to discuss territorial tensions and a new China-led regional bank in a sit-down encounter that both sides said marked improving relations between Asia’s two largest economies.
In their first meeting since last November in Beijing, when relations between the two nations were at a tense point over their claims in the East China Sea, the leaders spoke on the sidelines of a summit of Asian and African nations for about 25 minutes. Photographs taken at the outset showed both men relaxed, with aides describing the meeting as amicable.
”Both sides took a keen interest in improving relations,” Yasuhisa Kawamura, press secretary for the Japanese Foreign Ministry, told The Wall Street Journal afterward.
Mr. Abe raised the issue of tensions in the East China Sea, where Japan and China both claim islands, and highlighted past agreements to seek better relations in the region, Mr. Kawamura said.
Mr. Abe suggested the two countries soon begin operation of a new communications system for emergencies and that they take up a defense dialogue for the first time in four years, Mr. Kawamura said. Mr. Abe also said he’d like to meet with Mr. Xi again to “speak candidly to further develop bilateral relations.”
The leaders also discussed the still-forming Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a China-led lending institution that some see as a rival to the Japan-led Asian Development Bank. Mr. Abe expressed concerns about the bank’s governance and its sustainability of funding, Mr. Kawamura said, declining to offer Mr. Xi’s response.
Mr. Xi spoke, among other things, about plans for a “new Silk Road,” China’s drive to better connect the country politically and economically to South Asia, Africa and Europe by building billions of dollars’ worth of roads, ports and other infrastructure across the region.
Mr. Xi said both leaders must bear a responsibility to peaceful development and regional stability, and noted that AIIB proposals have been welcomed by the international community, China National Radio reported.
The meeting came after a day of speeches from Asian and African leaders on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Bandung conference that was a forerunner of the Cold War-era Non-Aligned Movement.
In his speech to the assembled leaders, Mr. Abe expressed “deep remorse” for Japan’s role in the war, but he stopped short of offering a formal apology.
Japan occupied then Dutch-ruled Indonesia during the war. Mr. Abe highlighted pledges made during the inaugural 1955 meeting of the group to refrain from using force in territorial disputes and to resolve international conflicts peacefully.
“Japan, with feelings of deep remorse over the past war, made a pledge to remain a nation always adhering to those very principles throughout,” Mr. Abe said.
The Japanese leader has used the expression “deep remorse” before, including in a speech to Parliament in February. The expression was also used in Japan’s annual foreign policy overview published earlier this month. He fell short of apologizing for Japan’s wartime conduct in the speech in Jakarta.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Hong Lei, said Beijing had “noticed” Mr. Abe’s expression of remorse Wednesday.
“This year marks the 70th anniversary of World War II,” Mr. Hong said. “The international community expects Japan to face up to its invasion history and examine itself so as to reconcile with neighboring countries and win the trust of the international community. We hope the Japanese side will conform to the cry for justice from the international community.”
Next week Mr. Abe heads to Washington, where he will be the first Japanese leader to address a joint session of Congress. Whether he will discuss Japan’s wartime history there is watched closely by foreign policy experts.
Mr. Abe’s remarks on Japan’s wartime behavior have drawn particularly strong attention this year, as nations mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. The prime minister is preparing to issue a broad statement for the occasion, raising speculation about whether he will address contentious history issues and apologize to those affected by Japan’s conduct. Earlier this week, Mr. Abe said he would uphold landmark apologies made by his predecessors during the past two decades but that he wouldn’t repeat their words.