Xi–Takaichi Talks Unlikely at APEC as Tokyo Eyes Trump
Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to hold formal talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the Nov. 18-19 APEC summit in Shenzhen, Kyodo News reported Tuesday, citing diplomatic sources. An informed Chinese source said Japan would be the only major participant whose leader does not meet Xi.
Japanese officials are reportedly weighing an informal exchange or handshake instead, Kyodo said. Beijing has demanded Takaichi retract her Taiwan remarks; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Friday the difficulties are “entirely the responsibility of the Japanese side,” Kyodo reported.
Deutsche Welle reported Tokyo fears President Donald Trump, weakened by the Nov. 3 midterms, may seek a quick diplomatic win with Xi; one analyst warned of a “transactional Trump who treats Taiwan as a bargaining chip.” On Wednesday, Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhang Han urged Japan to stop “provoking trouble on the Taiwan question,” GMT Eight reported.
No Xi-Takaichi meeting is confirmed, and the summit is a week away.