Japan, UK Foreign Ministers Discuss Strengthening Cooperation In Indo-Pacific - Tokyo

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi held a telephone conversation with his counterpart from the United Kingdom, Liz Truss, on Wednesday during which they discussed ways both countries could strengthen their security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2021) Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi held a telephone conversation with his counterpart from the United Kingdom, Liz Truss, on Wednesday during which they discussed ways both countries could strengthen their security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Both politicians confirmed their "strong opposition to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China seas," the foreign ministry's statement said as quoted by Kyodo news agency. They also touched on China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, especially near the Japanese Senkaku Islands, which China claims as its own.

The telephone conversation lasted around half an hour during which Truss also congratulated Hayashi on his appointment as foreign minister earlier in November.

The top diplomats welcomed UK's wish to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement and agreed to collaborate in the global fight to reduce carbon emissions following the end of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) on November 12 that was held in Glasgow.

On September 28, the UK said that it would begin formal negotiations with Japan to strengthen their defense relationships in relation to the Indo-Pacific.