Takaichi to attend APEC in first China trip as PM
TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will visit China next week for the first time since she took office, attending an Asia-Pacific summit in Shenzhen, Tokyo said Friday. The trip comes at a time of particularly fraught relations between the rival nations after Takaichi suggested in November last year that Tokyo may intervene in any attack on the island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as…
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will embark on her maiden trip to China next week, marking the first time she visits the country since assuming office in October 2021. Takaichi will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, alongside a stopover in Manila for a meeting of the 11-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The visit comes amidst escalating tensions between Japan and China, intensified by Takaichi's November suggestion that Tokyo might intervene in an attack on Taiwan, which Beijing considers its territory.
During her time in China, Takaichi will engage in discussions on various matters, including trade and investment, regional economic integration, economic and energy resilience, and the digital economy. However, the highlight of her visit will be her bilateral interaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping, although analysts predict that a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders is highly unlikely.
Takaichi's visit was prompted by China's stern response to her November remarks on Taiwan, resulting in China issuing travel warnings to its citizens visiting Japan and imposing restrictions on rare earth mineral trade. These measures have led to significant shortages of essential minerals for Japanese industries.
In the past, Takaichi has described China as an "important neighbor" and pledged to foster a stable relationship. However, she has also emphasized Japan's commitment to asserting its positions and calling for responsible behavior from China. Despite China's refusal to engage in ministerial talks with Takaichi's government, President Xi sent a condolence message to the family of former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, describing him as a "lifetime friend of the Chinese people."
Following her China visit, Takaichi will travel to Manila for the ASEAN summit. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has expressed hopes for the normalization of relations with Japan, stating that bilateral ties are "waiting to be normalized again" during a meeting with the former Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.
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