Kyodo News reported that Chinese chief diplomat Wang Yi proposed during his meeting with Japan’s Foreign Minister in Indonesia this month to hold high-level official talks among China, Japan, and South Korea. According to unnamed diplomatic sources cited by Kyodo, the proposal appears to indicate the three countries' willingness to resume discussions, with Japan set to expedite arrangements to hold these talks by the end of the year. The agency added that Japan has informed South Korea about Wang’s proposal for talks.
Japan and South Korea, both U.S. allies, have concerns about China's increasing military influence and rising tensions between Beijing and Washington over various issues, including trade and Taiwan. Wang met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings in Indonesia on July 14, where they discussed Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, but they did not reach an agreement. Kyodo reported that the water issue could be a stumbling block preventing an early meeting of the leaders of the three countries.
