Japan and China on Saturday agreed they will operate their defense hotline properly, amid disagreements over Taiwan and intrusions by Chinese vessels into waters near the Tokyo-controlled, Beijing-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. The hotline between senior defense officials of Tokyo and Beijing began operating last month with the aim of building mutual trust and avoiding contingencies at sea and in the air. During the 40-minute talks, Hamada and Li vowed to promote further dialogue and exchange between their defense authorities, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry. As for Taiwan, Hamada said he underscored "the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait." Hamada and Li met on the sidelines of the Asia Security Summit, an annual regional security forum also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Source: ABC News June 04, 2023 03:37 UTC