Japan, China Experts Discuss Security, Economy, Cooperation at Annual Tokyo-Beijing Forum

By Shotaro Demizu / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

20:00 JST, October 19, 2023

BEIJING — An annual Japan-China forum on security, the economy and other issues between the neighbors began Thursday in the Chinese capital.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a message to a dinner event Wednesday related to the 19th Tokyo-Beijing Forum.

“Dialogue with China, which has an important responsibility for peace and prosperity in this region, is extremely crucial,” Kishida said.

During Thursday’s opening ceremony, the foreign ministers of Japan and China contributed video messages.

“Facing issues squarely and engaging in frank dialogue will lead Japan and China to build constructive and stable relations,” Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for “tireless efforts to build up China-Japan relations that can meet the demands of the new era.”

About 100 experts from Japan and China, including media, are participating in the forum.

“Cooperation for world peace is a shared responsibility between China and Japan,” said former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda in a keynote speech.

Fukuda is a key adviser of the forum organized by The Genron NPO, a Japanese think tank, and China International Communications Group.

The two-day forum is expected to end with a joint statement issued Friday.