China and Japan meet over disputed islands | The Guardian
By Tania Branigan
Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt, north Asia director for the International Crisis Group, welcomed the discussions as a positive step.
“It’s a good sign that they’re talking, but it’s difficult to see how either one is going to be able to substantially walk back their positions,” she said.
“One hopes they will be able to exercise the leadership and vision necessary, but there are domestic challenges in both countries which make it very difficult for the leaderships to be seen as weak on this issue. The status quo was broken by Japan’s purchase of the islands and China’s announcement of the baseline.”
Photo: BehBeh/Wikimedia Commons
