UK Prime Minister Starmer visits Japan, four days in China, half a day in Japan
On January 31, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Japan for an official visit. During the visit, Japanese Prime Minister Hashimoto Asaichi held talks with Prime Minister Starmer on the night of January 31 in Japan time, followed by a working dinner. This visit by Prime Minister Starmer to Japan is expected to further strengthen the Japan-UK relationship as an "enhanced global strategic partner" that shares basic values and principles. Prime Minister Starmer made an official visit to China from the 28th to the 31st, lasting about four days, but his visit to Japan lasted less than a day, being a brief transit work visit.
On the 28th, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sato Kei expressed at a regular press conference: "We expect that through this visit by Prime Minister Starmer to Japan, the Japan-UK relationship as an enhanced global strategic partner sharing basic values and principles will be further strengthened."
This Japan-UK summit meeting is the second since last November. The previous meeting between the two heads of state took place during the G20 Leaders' Summit in South Africa in November last year.
The two sides are expected to discuss cooperation in the field of economic security. Prime Minister Hashimoto hopes to confirm further cooperation in areas such as strengthening the supply chain of important minerals, as well as the joint development of next-generation fighter jets with Italy, and will also discuss establishing a "Japan-UK Strategic Cyber Partnership" as a comprehensive framework for cooperation in the cyber field. The core content is sharing information on network threats (information collection and analysis) to enhance defense and deterrence capabilities against attacks by foreign forces. Regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Japan and the UK will agree to continue supporting Ukraine. In the context of US President Trump's "America First" policy, imposing tariffs on countries and taking a negative attitude towards international cooperation, the two heads of state will reach a consensus on the approach for Japan and the UK to cooperate in multilateral diplomatic occasions such as the G7.
After the meeting, the two heads of state will jointly attend a joint press conference to announce the results of the meeting, and there are plans to exchange opinions while having dinner together and holding a working dinner.
This is the first time a UK prime minister has visited Japan since former UK Prime Minister Sunak visited Japan in conjunction with the Hiroshima G7 Summit three years ago. Starmer made an official visit to China from January 28 to 31. This is the first visit by a UK prime minister to China in eight years and also the first visit by a permanent member of the UN Security Council to China at the beginning of the new year. Although Starmer's visit to China lasted about four days, his visit to Japan was only half a day. Starmer arrived in Japan on the afternoon of January 31 in Japan time and planned to leave Japan on the same day, making it a brief transit work visit.
On January 30, at a regular press conference hosted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia Kun, a reporter from AFP asked: After visiting China, UK Prime Minister Starmer will also visit Japan and meet with the Japanese Prime Minister. What message does China hope he conveys to Japan?
Guo Jia Kun stated that regarding the relationship between the UK and Japan, we do not make comments. We hope that relations between countries should contribute to regional peace and stability.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855843944972299/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.