Chinese military representatives are scheduled to visit Japan in mid-January, as per the agreement between the two nations, to foster mutual “understanding and trust,” the Chinese defense ministry announced on Monday.

A delegation from the Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will engage with officials from the Japanese Ministry of Defence and the Joint Staff of the Self-Defense Forces, according to the ministry’s statement.

This visit is also intended to enhance defense exchanges between China and Japan. The PLA Eastern Theatre Command is responsible for security operations primarily in the East China Sea, East China, and the Taiwan Strait.