On the second day of Group of Seven (G7) ministerial meetings in London, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed growing concerns over a number of issues related to China.
Motegi stressed on China's attempts to change the status quo in the East China and South China seas, the situation around Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday.
Tokyo also raked up Beijing's handling of human rights of the Muslim Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang province, which it said has caused "grave concerns". Motegi also discussed regional issues at the meeting.
The meeting lays the groundwork for the summit among world leaders in June.
On Monday, Motegi had agreed with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to step up cooperation to deal with China and promised to further strengthen their alliance to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
"Motegi and Blinken also discussed China. They agreed to oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China and South China seas. They also shared concerns about the human rights situation in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. They also agreed on the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," said the NHK World in its report, citing the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
The talks between the two leaders took place in London before the G7 foreign ministers' meeting.
( With inputs from ANI )
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