A delegation of Japanese opposition lawmakers met with a senior official from China’s ruling Communist Party in Beijing on Thursday, marking another step in growing political and economic exchanges between the two nations despite ongoing tensions.
Led by Executive Adviser Katsuya Okada of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), the delegation held discussions with Li Shulei, head of the Communist Party Central Committee’s Publicity Department, at the Great Hall of the People in the Chinese capital.
Li emphasized the importance of strategic and mutually beneficial ties, stating that both nations should ensure “the right direction of peaceful coexistence” and deepen cooperation. Okada, in turn, called for an increase in high-level political exchanges to strengthen communication and understanding between the two countries.
The visit, scheduled to last four days through Sunday, follows the memorandum of understanding signed last Augustbetween the CDPJ and the Communist Party, aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation and communication.
Despite challenges such as China’s total ban on Japanese seafood imports and the detention of Japanese nationals on espionage charges, Sino-Japanese relations have shown signs of improvement through a series of high-level engagements.
Further diplomatic discussions are set to continue in Tokyo, where China’s top diplomat Wang Yi is scheduled to attend a trilateral meeting with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts this weekend. Wang will also hold bilateral talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and co-chair a high-level economic dialogue, the first of its kind in nearly six years.
Iwaya’s upcoming discussions with Wang follow his visit to Beijing last December, as well as subsequent visits by Japanese ruling lawmakers and business representatives to China earlier this year, signaling continued diplomatic efforts between the two nations.
