Japan and China finished setting up a military hotline aimed at reducing tensions between the two largest economies in Asia, just ahead of a rare meeting of their foreign ministers in Beijing.
The installation of equipment and lines has been completed, the Defense Ministry said Friday in a statement, calling it a "linking mechanism” that will build trust between the militaries and avoid unforeseen situations.
China’s defense ministry simultaneously issued a statement, saying the hotline would strengthen the ability of both countries to control maritime and air crises and help further maintain regional peace and stability.