OMM Newsroom
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will attend next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen. It will be her first visit to China since relations between Japan and China deteriorated over her remarks on Taiwan last year.
Takaichi will begin a four-day trip to the Philippines and China on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Masanao Ozaki said at a news conference, AnewZ reports.
In the Philippines, which holds the ASEAN chairmanship this year, Takaichi will attend the Japan-ASEAN summit on Tuesday.
Preparations are also underway in Manila for a meeting of the leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States under the Quad framework. It could be the group’s first summit since September 2024.
Takaichi will then travel to Shenzhen for the APEC summit on November 18-19. Leaders are expected to discuss trade, energy resilience and artificial intelligence.
Taiwan remarks strain relations
Last year, Takaichi said that any Chinese military action against Taiwan, including a naval blockade, could create a “situation threatening Japan’s existence” and allow Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense. Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have been strained since then.
China has taken a series of measures, including warnings intended to discourage travel to Japan, restrictions on imports of Japanese seafood and export controls on rare earth elements used in high-tech manufacturing.
Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, while Taipei rejects China’s sovereignty claims.
Takaichi met Chinese President Xi Jinping at last year’s APEC summit in South Korea. At the time, Xi urged Japan to adhere to “clear provisions on fundamental issues” so as “neither to damage nor undermine” the foundations of Japan-China relations.
A meeting between the two leaders this time appears unlikely. Tokyo has asked Beijing to apply the same protocol arrangements to Takaichi in Shenzhen as to other leaders. Japanese officials expect at least a protocol handshake meeting with Xi.
Reports say Beijing continues to demand that Takaichi withdraw her remarks on Taiwan.
Takaichi is also expected to seek a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump while she is in the Philippines.
