China detains citizen working for Japan’s rare metals firm

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – China has detained two of its citizens, one of whom was working for a Japanese rare metals trading firm, according to Japanese media.

The Chinese citizen working for the Japanese firm was detained in March on “suspicion of leaking information related to rare metals,” Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported on Sunday, citing unnamed sources.

One of the detained Chinese workers is affiliated with a Chinese state-owned firm and the two companies have trading relationship.

Beijing is yet to disclose nature of charges against the duo.

Last week, China formally arrested a Japanese citizen on charges of alleged spying. An employee of Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma, the 50-year-old was detained just before his planned return to Japan in March.

This comes as Tokyo and Beijing are celebrating 45th anniversary of Japan-China Peace and Friendship Treaty signed in 1978.

"It is important to work together to build a constructive and stable Japan-China relationship from a big picture perspective," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a message read out at a ceremony in Tokyo.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in his message for the event that Beijing will "aim for Sino-Japanese relations that will meet the needs of a new era by returning to the spirit" of the treaty.