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Takaichi Sane is expected to visit the Philippines and Shenzhen, China to attend APEC next week. The outside world’s focus is on whether she can contact Xi Jinping; China-Japan relations continued to deteriorate due to his Taiwan-related comments.
Japan Prime Ministertakaichi sanae He is expected on a four-day visit next week, during which he will visit Shenzhen to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).APEC ) The summit, if it takes place, will be his first visit to China a year after assuming office. Whether she can meet or shake hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping will be the main topic of the meeting.
According to Kyodo News, the House of Representatives Steering Committee of Japan on Tuesday (November 10) approved the schedule of Takaichi Sane’s foreign trip from Monday to Thursday (16 to 19). During her visit, she will attend the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Shenzhen.
The Philippines will host the ASEAN summit and a series of related meetings from Sunday to next Wednesday (November 15-18). International leaders confirmed to attend include US President Trump, Brazilian President Lula and Canadian Prime Minister Carney.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting is scheduled to be held in Shenzhen next Wednesday to Thursday (Nov. 18-19), which will mark the first anniversary of Sane’s “Taiwan incident” that brought Sino-Japanese relations to a low point. Whether Gao Xi can meet separately with Chinese President Xi Jinping has now become the highlight of the summit.
In the face of China repeatedly expressing strong dissatisfaction and its increasing pressure on Japan’s economy, including imposing sanctions in many areas such as tourism, seafood and key minerals, Takaichi Sane has always refused to withdraw the Taiwan-related reply he gave in the Japanese Diet on November 7 last year. Diplomatic contacts between China and Japan at the official level have almost come to a standstill this year.
Takaichi Sane said at a press conference in early June this year that Japan is open to dialogue with China, and said that relevant talks are taking place at all levels. Speaking on a Japanese TV program on October 1, Takachi did not rule out the possibility of talks with Xi Jinping at the November summit. He said at the time: “It is not convenient to make any prejudices, but we will maintain communication and respond peacefully and appropriately from the perspective of national interests.”
Japan is trying to ensure Sanae Takachi is not left out in the cold when he meets Xi Jinping at the summit, Bloomberg reported on Monday (Nov 9). When Takaichi attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Shenzhen, Japanese officials expect host Xi Jinping to at least give them a traditional handshake. Sino-Japanese relations have fallen to their lowest level in the past year since diplomatic relations between the two countries were normalized in 1972. There are still doubts whether Xi Jinping would extend such a courtesy to Takachi Sane.
On November 7 last year, Sanae Takaichi said in his defense in the Diet that “something in Taiwan could create an existential crisis situation in which Japan could exercise the right of collective self-defense,” which provoked a strong reaction from China. Beijing subsequently pressured Japan in various areas such as economy, culture and tourism and criticized Japan’s move to strengthen its defense capabilities with “new militarism”. At the same time, the Ryukyu card was played, and China-Japan relations have been frozen to this day and have not yet come out of the trough.
Summary FAQ
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The House of Representatives of Japan has approved his foreign trip from 16th to 19th. His itinerary includes first going to the Philippines to attend the ASEAN Summit and then to Shenzhen to attend the APEC Summit. If the visit happens, it will be his first visit to China after assuming office.
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Because China-Japan relations deteriorated after the Taiwan incident-related response was issued last year, high-level contacts between the two sides have almost stopped; Whether APEC can meet and shake hands this time will be considered an important indicator of whether relations between the two countries are loosening.
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Beijing has imposed sanctions on Japan in a number of sectors such as tourism, seafood and key minerals and has criticized Japan’s defense strengthening as a new type of militarism. Due to Gao Xi’s refusal to withdraw his Taiwan-related comments, bilateral relations remain at a low level.
