Japan, China start defense hotline operation as ties remain tense

Japan and China on Tuesday began the operation of a hotline between their defense authorities, the two nations' governments said, as bilateral ties remain tense over a territorial dispute.Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu affirmed the necessity of maintaining candid communication during their 20-minute talks on the direct communication line, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry.Hamada and Li agreed that the hotline, which is part of the Maritime and Aerial Communication Mechanism that Tokyo and Beijing launched in 2018, "plays an important role" i…READ FULL ARTICLE