China’s top diplomat raises Taiwan with former Japanese FM

China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, discussed the strained relationship between Beijing and Tokyo during a meeting with Takeshi Iwaya, a former Japanese foreign minister who is leading a trade delegation in Beijing. The two leaders emphasized that the China-Japan relationship has once again reached a critical point and has the potential to be normalized once more.

Japan's trade relations with China have been adversely affected by recent restrictions and fees imposed by Beijing, leading to significant shortages of crucial rare earth minerals for Japanese companies. In response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's suggestion that Tokyo might intervene in a potential attack on Taiwan, China warned its citizens against traveling to Japan and imposed further trade limitations.

Iwaya's visit to Beijing follows a previous trip by a group of Japanese lawmakers who were unable to achieve any significant progress in improving ties. Ahead of his departure from Tokyo, Iwaya emphasized the importance of dialogue in seeking solutions to the current difficult circumstances and pledged to do everything possible.

While Iwaya remains a respected figure within Japan's conservative Liberal Democratic Party, some members have criticized him for being too accommodating towards China. The Japanese government acknowledged the Chinese foreign minister's remarks and highlighted the need for continued communication between the two nations at various levels despite the ongoing differences and pending issues.