Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reaffirmed close cooperation with the United States during a call with President Donald Trump, hours after he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese state media reported on Tuesday.
Takaichi said her conversation with Trump had been on the request of the US President who briefed her on his phone conversation with Xi on Monday. However, she refrained from elaborating further, including on any discussion regarding her comments on a Taiwan contingency, the Kyodo report said.
Tensions Over Takaichi’s Taiwan Remarks Continue
Beijing and Tokyo have sparred over Takaichi’s earlier remarks that suggested Tokyo could deploy its military forces in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
Takaichi had in her answer to parliamentary questions on November 7 said a military attack on Taiwan could present a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. Following this, Beijing has suspended the resumption of Japanese seafood imports and advised its nationals not to travel or study in Japan.
Xi Calls for Stable Sino–US Ties
China’s Foreign Ministry, however, said Trump told Xi that he understands the importance of the Taiwan issue during their talks.
After their talks on phone, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China and the United States should keep up the momentum in ties, and keep moving forward in the right direction on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit, Xinhua reported.
Japan Stresses Importance of Stable US–China Relations
Today, Kyodo reported that Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara while addressing a regular press conference stated that stable US-China ties are “extremely important” for Japan and the international community, but remained tight-lipped on Beijing’s statement about the Trump-Xi talks.
Active Diplomatic Exchanges Continue
Days after Takaichi took office on October 21, Trump visited Japan for in-person talks. Takaichi then met with Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea late last month.
The Japanese news agency Kyodo further reported that Japan’s foreign vice-minister Takehiro Funakoshi held talks with Chinese ambassador Wu Jianghao in Tokyo today.
