During an interview, Prime Minister Li Qiang of China met with Japan’s new Prime Minister Shiiro Ishiba in Vientiane, Laos, on October 10, amidst a series of East Asian cooperation leader meetings. Japanese media interpreted this meeting as a formal beginning for Japan’s challenging diplomatic relations with China. A key focus moving forward will be whether high-level exchanges, including those involving Ishiba himself, can be achieved to mend these relations.
Reports indicate that since Ishiba’s cabinet formation, both Japan and China have been sending out positive signals. Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Iwaki clearly stated at his inauguration press conference on October 2 that he is willing to engage in ongoing dialogue with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. He emphasized, “If we keep expressing anti-China sentiments, Japan’s diplomacy will not succeed.”
According to sources, China has understood the true intentions behind these statements, leading to a phone conversation between the foreign ministers on October 9. The Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that Wang Yi appreciated the Japanese government’s positive signals regarding stable development in bilateral relations. Japanese diplomatic sources have remarked that the Chinese government appears to have grown more open to dialogue with Ishiba’s administration.
Looking ahead, the two sides are working to coordinate meetings between Ishiba and Chinese President Xi Jinping during international conferences in Peru and Brazil in November, including APEC and the G20 summit. There are also plans to realize reciprocal visits between foreign ministers, as agreed upon during the previous Kishida government. The upcoming trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting and summit in Japan will provide an opportunity for Wang Yi and Li Qiang to visit Japan.
Moreover, the reports highlighted that Ishiba had advocated for an Asian version of NATO during his campaign for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency. His visit to Taiwan in August, where he met with President Lai Ching-te, has also sparked dissatisfaction from China, indicating that potential risks for deteriorating relations still exist.
