Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi met with German counterpart Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on Tuesday and exchanged opinions on the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
During an hour-long virtual meeting, Kishi stressed the importance of stable relations between Taiwan and China. Kishi said that stability in the Taiwan Strait is in the best interests of Japan and the international community.
Japan’s public broadcaster NHK published a report saying both Kishi and Kramp-Karrenbauer condemned China’s militaristic expansion in the East and South China Seas. The two also expressed reservations over China’s new maritime safety law, which authorizes the Chinese coast guard to use force against foreign vessels in waters it deems its own.
Kishi and Kramp-Karrenbauer agreed to hold joint naval exercises between the German Navy and the Japan Self-Defense Forces.