Takaichi Noncommittal on Xi Meeting at APEC Summit
Crhk · 2 SOURCES1 day ago5 MIN
Summary
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (高市早苗) said she could not prejudge whether she would speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping at next month’s APEC leaders’ meeting in Shenzhen, but said communication would be maintained and Japan would respond calmly and appropriately from the perspective of national interests. In the same interview, she said she hoped US-China relations would contribute to stability for the international community, including Japan. Her remarks came as the Kremlin said Russia was preparing a bilateral meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Xi on the sidelines of the APEC summit next month. Putin also said he was ready for a three-way meeting with Xi and US President Donald Trump, provided an agenda was first worked out.
Key Points
- Takaichi told Nippon Television that she would not predict in advance whether she would hold dialogue with Xi during the APEC leaders’ meeting in Shenzhen next month.
- She said Japan would keep communication channels open and handle the matter calmly and properly from the standpoint of national interests.
- Discussing US-China ties, Takaichi said she hoped the relationship would help preserve stability for the international community, including Japan.
- Referring to Xi’s earlier state visit to the United States and meeting with Trump, Takaichi said she was encouraged by Washington’s mention of a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”
- The Kremlin said it was preparing a Putin-Xi bilateral meeting during next month’s APEC summit, while Putin said he was also open to a Xi-Trump-Putin meeting if an agenda was set.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the APEC summit in Shenzhen is shaping up as a concentrated venue for major-power diplomacy involving China, Japan, Russia and the United States. Whether leaders meet formally or not, the tone of communication around the summit could affect regional stability and the wider political environment in East Asia, which matters closely to Hong Kong’s external economic setting.