China seeks economic exchanges despite rigid stance on PM Takaichi

Japanese bilateral diplomacy faces severe strains following high-level meetings in Beijing where Chinese officials maintained rigid opposition to Tokyo’s stance on Taiwan. Former Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya traveled to Beijing on September 28, holding talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice Premier He Lifeng, as reported by Reuters and other sources. The diplomatic friction stems from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks in November of last year regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, which triggered a sharp downturn in state visits and tourism. Despite the political impasse, Chinese leadership indicated a willingness to pursue economic and private-sector exchanges, creating a complex split between rigid political demands and pragmatic commercial engagement.

Meetings in Beijing Test Diplomatic Channels

Iwaya led a 50-member delegation of Japanese corporate executives and trade representatives in his role as president of the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade, meeting with senior Chinese officials to seek an opening for dialogue. Reuters reported that Iwaya met Wang on September 28 and He on September 29. During these discussions, Wang and He communicated an extremely strict stance toward Prime Minister Takaichi, with Wang asserting that Japan must promptly rectify what Beijing terms erroneous statements regarding Taiwan. Iwaya directly asked Wang to drop accusations labeling Japanese policies as a form of new militarism, while also pushing for streamlined export licensing for rare-earth elements. He Lifeng responded regarding the mineral exports by stating that shipments intended for civilian use present no problems, according to Reuters reporting.

Diverging Views on Political Red Lines and Economic Ties

Wang Yi framed the diplomatic engagement as a necessity for normalizing bilateral relations, but insisted that the primary burden rests on Tokyo to correct its leader’s positions on Taiwan. In contrast to previous demands for a complete retraction of the remarks, Chinese officials used the term correction, though Iwaya stated in a post-meeting press conference that he detected no significant policy shift in that lexical distinction. Meanwhile, domestic social media platforms in Japan saw sharp criticism directed at Iwaya’s mission, with commentators leveling accusations of appeasement. Masaaki Hirai, who served as Digital Minister in the Ishiba Cabinet, publicly defended Iwaya during a live-streamed appearance on September 29, criticizing online attacks and asserting that the former foreign minister was actively working to support Japanese business leaders.

Official Silence and the Outlook for APEC Engagement

The Japanese government has maintained a cautious distance from the delegation’s activities, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stating during a September 30 press conference that Tokyo views the visit as a private economic group initiative rather than a formal governmental mission. Prime Minister Takaichi reiterated in an October 1 television interview reported by Reuters that Japan remains committed to comprehensively advancing a mutually beneficial strategic relationship with Beijing through continued communication. However, prospects remain dim for a formal leaders’ summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting scheduled in China in November, as diplomatic channels remain constrained.

Bilateral dialogue between Tokyo and Beijing remains severely restricted following Prime Minister Takaichi’s November parliamentary statements.

More on this story: Japan PM Takaichi Urges Removal of UN Charter Enemy State Clauses