China media: Ties with Japan

State media dismiss prospects of a China-Japan summit and cast suspicion on the Philippines’ plan to reopen a former US military base, Subic Bay.

China media: Ties with Japan

State media dismiss prospects of a China-Japan summit and cast suspicion on the Philippines’ plan to reopen a former US military base.

Chinese media echo the foreign ministry in pouring cold water on Japanese media reports that Japanese and Chinese leaders will hold a summit soon following calls by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for high-level bilateral talks to resolve issues.

“The Abe administration has shown no change toward China in terms of its political mentality. Abe’s desire to meet Chinese leaders is nothing but a show aimed at serving his own interests and Japan’s politics,” says The Global Times.

Territorial claims made by the two countries over a group of islands in East China Sea, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, have been at the centre of recent diplomatic tensions.

State media also cast suspicion on Manila’s plan to relocate its major navy and air force camps to Subic Bay, a former US military base, to protect disputed territory in the “West Philippine Sea” (South China Sea).

“The Philippines is taking the opportunity to hold tightly onto the US’ thighs and to bring the US into the South China Sea dispute, so as to enhance its strength and challenge China further on the South China Sea issue,” writes Meng Xiangqing, deputy director of the National Defence University Institute for Strategic Studies, in the People’s Daily.

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Source: BBC.