China and Japan hold the 17th round of consultations on the high-level consultation mechanism on maritime affairs

On October 23, 2024, in Tokyo, Hong Liang, the Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and Hiroyuki Nakamura, the Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, co-chaired the 17th round of high-level consultations on maritime affairs between China and Japan. This meeting allowed both sides to engage in candid and in-depth discussions regarding maritime issues.

Representatives from various maritime departments in both countries participated in the sessions, which included a plenary meeting and three working group discussions focusing on maritime defense, maritime law enforcement and security, and the marine economy. During the consultations, the Chinese side outlined its positions on issues pertaining to the East China Sea, the Diaoyu Islands, the South China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait, urging Japan to respect China’s territorial sovereignty and security concerns and to take concrete actions that would foster improvements in China-Japan relations.

Both parties agreed to earnestly implement the key consensus reached by their leaders, maintain close communication on maritime issues, appropriately manage conflicts and differences, and deepen practical cooperation. They expressed a commitment to making positive efforts to transform the East China Sea into a peaceful, cooperative, and friendly region.

Principally, both sides concurred to hold the 18th round of high-level consultations on maritime affairs in China next year.