The defense ministers of Japan and China agreed Saturday to ensure the “reliability” of their military hotline operation in order to prevent potential clashes amid rising tensions in the East China Sea.
Japan’s Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada met with his Chinese counterpart, Li Shangfu, on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore to discuss their countries’ security concerns.
Both sides agreed on the need to promote dialogue and exchange while ensuring that their military hotline—which began operation last month—is being used “appropriately,” according to Japan’s Defense Ministry.
The hotline was established to link the leadership of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) at the nation’s Defense Ministry with Chinese defense ministry officials….