International

Chinese and Japanese Leaders Agree to Improve Ties

Justin Velez

Chinese and Japanese leaders met in Belgium on Monday, October 4th, a positive development in what had been tense diplomatic relations. The strain began when the Japanese arrested a Chinese fishing captain who had entered the disputed waters of the Diaoyu Islands. The incident quickly got heated when Beijing began making diplomatic threats and canceled several interactions between the two countries. China claims that the islands—near potential underwater oil and gas reserves—as well as most of the South China Sea belong to them and dispute other countries’ claims. The Asia-Europe Meeting was set up partially in hopes that the Japan and China could work out there differences, ensuring an easier relationship with Europe. China’s Premier Wen Jiabao and Japan’s Prime Minster Naoto met briefly and committed to “step up people-to-people exchange and communication between the governments, and hold China-Japan high-level meeting at an appropriate time” and ensure continued relations would remain positive.

• Disputed Waters: Water areas where countries have competing claims to navigation/ownership.
• Asia-Europe Meeting: An inter-regional forum made up of European and Asian states. Established in 1996, the goals of the meeting are: Political dialogue, security and the economy, and education and culture
• Reserves: Resources kept back or saved for future use or a special purpose

Additional Reading:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11473751

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/10/05/china.japan.relations/index.html?hpt=T1