Japan's ruling party heavyweight to attend China Belt and Road forum
POLITICS
By Huang Xinwei

2017-04-25 18:05 GMT+8

2103km to Beijing

The secretary-general of Japan's ruling party said on Tuesday he will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May, as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to strengthen ties with Beijing amid growing concern over the DPRK’s nuclear and missile programs, reported Reuters.
"Given the international situation starting with the DPRK, mutual understanding between Japan and China is vital," reported the Jiji news agency citing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai during a news conference, adding that he is scheduled to attend the May 14-15 the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
Nikai, a ruling party heavyweight and second to Abe in the party, is known for his close ties to China.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang confirmed the attendance at a regular press conference on Tuesday, without giving further details.
Geng also said China's top nuclear envoy Wu Dawei would travel to Japan on Tuesday for talks about DPRK issues.
The DPRK staged a firing drill on Tuesday to mark the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army amid soaring tension on the Korean Peninsula.
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