As a close neighbor to China, Japan should "show their basic respect" in China's internal affairs, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday warned his Japanese counterpart in a phone conversation.
Reiterating Beijing's stance on the Diaoyu Islands and South China Sea, Wang expressed opposition to Tokyo for meddling in China's issues on Xinjiang and Hong Kong. "We urged the Japanese side to abide by basic criteria of international relations," Wang said.
The Chinese diplomat called on both sides to "treasure" and "preserve" the hard-won, ameliorating relationship between the two countries.
On his side, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said that the ties between Japan and China are vital, doubling down on Tokyo's stance on continuing to develop bilateral relationship.
Tokyo is willing to maintain dialogues with Beijing and enhance mutual trust, he said, adding that the country would strengthen cooperation with China in all fronts. We will stay in touch with Beijing on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, Motegi added.
