On Oct. 31, Chinese President Xi Jinping held his first meeting with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in South Korea. The meeting lasted for approximately 30 minutes, according to the Japanese readout, and appears to have included warm signals from both sides. “The two leaders reaffirmed a broad direction of Japan-China relations to comprehensively promote a ‘Mutually Beneficial Relationship Based on Common Strategic Interests’ and building ‘constructive and stable Japan-China relations,’” the statement read. It also claimed that Takaichi spoke of “the importance of fulfilling the weighty responsibilities for ensuring peace and prosperity in the region and the international community.”
“The two leaders affirmed the importance of dialogue between the leaders themselves, and of multilayered communication across a wide range of fields between Japan and China,” the statement continued. There were also discussions on resuming agricultural and aquatic imports from both sides, and lifting import restrictions. It further noted that “The two leaders also concurred on seeking concrete cooperation in areas such as third-country market cooperation, green economy, as well as medical care, nursing care and healthcare.”
The Prime Minister also raised various points of contention around the East China Sea, China’s rare earth export restrictions, North Korea, and other issues.
