Japan 'expresses concern' over China's increasing naval activities at APEC

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has expressed concern over China's increasingly assertive naval activities at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Indonesia.

Kishida told the two-day gathering, which began Friday on the island of Bali, it is critical to allow for unimpeded movement of people and goods.

He said that establishing rules by law is fundamental for economic growth in the region, Kishida told the participants, who included Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong.

According to the Japan Times, the remarks come after Kishida, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop voiced concern about China's maritime assertiveness during trilateral talks on the sidelines of the APEC meeting.

In a joint statement released after their discussions, the three stressed that they 'opposed any coercive or unilateral actions that could change the status quo in the East China Sea,' without directly naming China.

The statement further noted 'the importance of efforts to reduce tensions and to avoid miscalculations or accidents in the East China Sea, including by improving marine communications', the report added.