Japan PM meets Chinese President in first in-person talks, expresses concerns over Taiwan, South China Sea

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first in-person talks on Friday as part of efforts to manage tensions in Japan-China relations and also expressed his concerns over China’s activity near Taiwan as well as the South China Sea, the Japan Times reported.

The two leaders meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru, where they discussed several key issues, including Japan’s seafood export ban, China’s military activities near Japan, and the safety of Japanese nationals in China.

In his opening remarks, Ishiba highlighted the importance of Japan-China relations for global stability, acknowledging both challenges and the need for ongoing dialogue. He also reiterated Japan’s concerns about regional security, particularly around the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and China’s growing military presence near Japan. The prime minister also stressed the importance of “peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait” as it was “extremely important for the international community.” He further expressed “serious concerns” over the situation in the South China Sea, as reported by the Japan Times.

Meanwhile, Xi expressed appreciation for Ishida’s stance on promoting Japan-China ties and described the current moment as “critical” for improving relations and hoped that the two countries’ ties could be “constructive and stable,” the Japan Times reported.

Both leaders emphasised the importance of a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests,” a sentiment that had become rare in recent years due to escalating diplomatic challenges. The last time this phrase was used was during the 2023 summit in San Francisco, when former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Xi set the tone for their relationship, Japan Times reported.

In addition, Ishiba reiterated Japan’s demand for the removal of import restrictions on Japanese seafood. This follows an agreement in September under which China agreed to “gradually resume” seafood imports from Japan in exchange for increased monitoring, including Chinese experts overseeing Japan’s release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

This meeting marks Ishiba’s second major international appearance since becoming prime minister on October 1, with his engagements with Xi and US President Joe Biden drawing significant attention.

In light of these tensions, Ishiba stressed the urgency of addressing safety concerns for Japanese nationals in China and pushing for a clear response from Beijing regarding the recent incidents involving Japanese citizens. Ishida was referring to the recent of two high-profile attacks on Japanese children in China that have raised concerns among the Japanese community there, although Beijing has not provided details on the suspects.

With US President-elect Donald Trump poised to return to the White House, both Tokyo and Beijing are closely analyzing the potential impact on regional power dynamics and seeking to maintain open communication to avoid any missteps.