The top diplomats of Japan and China have had their first exchange since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments about possible Japanese military intervention in a Taiwan crisis in November.

Speaking on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related meetings in Manila on Thursday, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters that he had spoken briefly with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, a day earlier.

“We had a brief opportunity to exchange greetings and discuss bilateral relations,” Motegi said.