(attachment 3) Japan- China Defense Ministerial Meeting (Summary)

October 19, 2018
Ministry of Defense

On October 19th, 2018, from 4:05 pm (local time) for about 40 minutes, Defense Minister Iwaya, who was visiting Singapore to attend the 5th ASEAN Defence Minister's Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), held a meeting with Chinese Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe for the first time in approximately three years. The summary of the meeting is as follows:

1. Opening Remarks

  • (1) Both Ministers welcomed the fact of being able to hold a Japan-China Defense Ministerial Meeting for the first time in approximately three years, in a commemorable year of the 40-year anniversary of the Japan-China Peace and Amity Treaty, and a week prior to Prime Minister Abe's visit to China.
  • (2) The two Ministers confirmed that bilateral defense exchanges between Japan and China are on an improving trend, and they both shared the view to take advantage of the Defense Ministerial Meeting as a trigger for a full-fledged improvement of Japan-China defense exchanges.

2. Japan-China Defense Exchanges

  • (1) Both Ministers shared views that it is important to materialize various defense-exchange initiatives, amid an improving bilateral relationship, and they shared the view that they would like to hold high-level exchanges, policy dialogues, unit-level exchanges and exchanges in the disaster relief area.
  • (2) In particular, Minister Iwaya expressed the intention to consider mutual visits between the Chief of Joint Staff, JSDF, and the Chief of the Joint Staff Department, PLA, and in response, Minister Wei consented to consider in a positive manner. Moreover, Minister Iwaya welcomed the visit of the Eastern Theater Command delegation to Japan, which was a proposal from the Chinese side, and both Ministers decided to continue the coordination process.
  • (3) With regard to the Maritime and Aerial Communication Mechanism between the defense authorities of Japan and China, both sides shared the recognition that it is important that the mechanism is operated in a way to serve for the confidence building between the two defense authorities; the two Ministers shared the view that they would like to rapidly establish the hotline.

3. Regional Situations

  • (1) The two Ministers exchanged views on situations surrounding North Korea, and Minister Iwaya stated that there is a need to continue implementing the relevant UN Security Council resolutions in an absolute fashion for the realization of a complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of all weapons of mass destructions and missiles of all ranges. Furthermore, Minister Iwaya mentioned that Japan would like to work together with China in response to the "ship-to-ship transfer" of goods by North Korea.
  • (2) The two Ministers also exchanged opinions on other regional situations, and they shared the recognition on the importance of the stability of the East China Sea.