Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday during the 32nd informal Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Takaichi described the meeting as “substantive and fruitful.”
Speaking to reporters after the talks, Takaichi said, “It was a very substantive and fruitful conversation. We reaffirmed the importance of strategic and mutually beneficial relations between Japan and China, and the need to build constructive and stable ties. I also said that our existing differences and challenges make direct and frank dialogue necessary.”
At the start of the meeting, she emphasized that Japan and China are “important neighboring countries with vital responsibility for peace and prosperity in the region and the world community.”
President Xi said in his opening remarks that it is important to maintain mutual understanding, put China-Japan relations on the right path, and build stable and constructive relations for the new era.
Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister on October 21 and is known for her conservative, right-wing views. Reports suggest that China is taking a cautious approach toward the new leader. Notably, the congratulatory message on her election came from China’s Premier Li Qiang, not President Xi.