Chinese Premier Not to Meet with Takaichi at G-20 Summit

Beijing, Nov. 17 (Jiji Press)–A bilateral meeting between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has not been arranged on the sidelines of the two-day Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, from Saturday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press conference Monday. This is apparently retaliation for Takaichi’s recent parliamentary remark on a possible Taiwan contingency. It is unusual for the Chinese government to mention in advance whether a leader’s bilateral meeting will be held on the fringe of an international conference. Mao criticized Takaichi’s remark and demanded that she withdraw it. Masaaki Kanai, director-general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, arrived in Beijing on Monday for talks with his Chinese counterpart in an effort to mend bilateral ties that have soured in the wake of Takaichi’s remark. Kanai aims to meet with Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Department of Asian Affairs, on Tuesday to explain that the remark does not change the Japanese government’s standard position. During parliamentary deliberations on Nov. 7, Takaichi became the first Japanese prime minister to clarify that China’s use of force against Taiwan would bring about a critical situation for Japan’s existence if the attack involves a warship. The statement has provoked a harsh reaction from the Chinese government, including a social media post by Xue Jian, consul-general in the western Japan city of Osaka, which suggested that Takaichi should be beheaded, and calls on Chinese people to refrain from visiting Japan and on those planning to study there to carefully consider whether to proceed with the plans. Moreover, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong summoned Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi on Thursday to lodge a protest, emphasizing that Japan should take full responsibility. Kanai is expected to seek the lifting of the travel restraint requests by underscoring the importance of multilayered exchanges. He is also likely to urge Beijing to “respond appropriately” to Xue’s post, which prompted politicians in the Japanese ruling camp and others to demand that the Chinese diplomat be deported. At a press conference in Tokyo on Monday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara expressed concern about the Chinese government hindering interactions between the peoples of the two countries. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]