Beijing, Tokyo plan 'fast lane' travel corridor

Foreign ministers agree on bolstering bilateral cooperation in multiple fields

China and Japan have agreed to establish a fast lane travel corridor for essential personnel exchanges by the end of November to facilitate bilateral cooperation on the resumption of business activities, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.

At a joint news conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Wang said that the fast lane will be launched under strict pandemic prevention and control measures.

Wang's visit to Japan marks the first face-to-face meeting between foreign ministers of the two countries since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that China and Japan agreed to continue jointly fighting the coronavirus and share information in a timely manner, and they will also carry out cooperation on medical treatment and drugs.

Wang said that China and Japan are determined to establish a consultation mechanism on food and agricultural and aquatic products among multiple departments, and will speed up coordination to promote bilateral cooperation in these areas.

The two countries also agreed to cooperate to boost economic recovery and will host a new round of high-level economic dialogue next year, Wang said. He added that they will continue to strengthen cooperation in key areas such as technological innovation, energy conservation and environmental protection, medical care, e-commerce and third-party markets.

China and Japan are among 15 nations that signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement earlier this month. Wang said the two sides will work together to ensure the agreement takes effect as soon as possible, promote the negotiation of the China-Japan-Republic of Korea free trade agreement, and boost regional cooperation to maintain and strengthen the rules-based multilateral trade system.

Wang said that China and Japan will hold a new round of high-level consultations on maritime affairs next month to deepen communication between their departments of foreign affairs and maritime law enforcement.

He added that Beijing and Tokyo will strive to open a direct telephone line under the air and maritime contact mechanism within this year to manage risks and enhance mutual trust.

The two countries also decided to establish a consultation mechanism on climate change policies, he said.

The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, Wang said, adding that the two countries will make preparations for commemorative events.