Japanese, Chinese Diplomats Meet over Takaichi’s Remark

Beijing, Nov. 18 (Jiji Press)–Senior Japanese and Chinese diplomats held talks in Beijing on Tuesday over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent parliamentary remark about a potential Taiwan contingency. Masaaki Kanai, director-general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, met with Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Department of Asian Affairs. Kanai is believed to have explained that the remark does not change the Japanese government’s standard position, seeking the Chinese side’s understanding. The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping has maintained its hard-line stance, with Liu likely insisting on the Chinese side’s perspective. The Xi administration considers the Taiwan issue to be at the heart of China’s core interests and strongly opposes Takaichi’s remark. During parliamentary deliberations on Nov. 7, Takaichi said that China’s use of force against Taiwan would create a critical situation for Japan’s existence, allowing the country to exercise its right to collective self-defense. After the remark, China urged its citizens to avoid travel to Japan and to carefully consider plans for studying there. Kanai is believed to have called for the withdrawal of this advisory. Also, the Japanese side apparently sought an appropriate response over a social media post by Xue Jian, China’s consul-general in the western Japan city of Osaka, which suggested that Takaichi should be beheaded. The post prompted politicians in the Japanese ruling camp and others to demand that the Chinese diplomat be deported. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]