Beijing has been accused of “two-faced diplomacy” after pledging greater dialogue and cooperation during high-level talks in Tokyo on Saturday, only for three Chinese coastguard vessels to enter waters around Japanese-controlled islands the next day, pursuing a Japanese fishing boat.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya had struck an optimistic tone following Saturday’s trilateral meeting with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts, describing the discussions as “a frank exchange of views” and announcing that the three nations had “confirmed that we will promote future-orientated cooperation”.