China hints at Xi meeting with Japan's new premier Takaichi

China hints at Xi meeting with Japan's new premier Takaichi
Japan's new Prime Minister delivers her first policy speech, in Tokyo, Japan, October 24, 2025.
Reuters

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday talked up "high-level exchanges" in a call with Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, hinting at a potential meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japan's new premier, Sanae Takaichi.

Xi and Takaichi will attend this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, offering a window for a meeting on neutral ground between the Chinese leader and a Japanese prime minister known for hawkish views towards China.

Takaichi met with U.S. President Donald Trump three weeks ago, who welcomed her pledge to accelerate a military buildup and signed a series of deals on trade and rare earths.

Beijing will be wary of the U.S. and Japan forging closer ties under Takaichi, analysts say, seeing it as a potential shift in the balance of power across the Asia-Pacific region.

Be that as it may, "China has noticed several positive signals coming out of Japan's new cabinet," Wang said, without giving any further details.

"High-level exchanges are very important to China-Japan relations," he added.

Beijing said on Friday that Xi would meet several heads of state at the summit - which Trump is expected to skip - but only specified South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

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