China’s Premier Li Qiang has confirmed that he has no plans to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry. The decision comes amid growing tensions over Taiwan, a sensitive geopolitical issue between Beijing and Tokyo.
At a regular news briefing, Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said that recent comments by the Japanese prime minister regarding Taiwan have seriously undermined the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations. Mao urged Japan to retract what China calls “wrongful” remarks to restore dialogue and stability.
Earlier this month, Japan’s Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament that a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory, could provoke a military response from Japan. The remarks have further strained relations between the two neighboring powers.
As global attention focuses on the G20 summit, this diplomatic standoff highlights the delicate balance nations must maintain amid rising tensions in East Asia. Observers say that the lack of a meeting between the two leaders underscores the current fragility in China-Japan relations, particularly over Taiwan, and could have broader implications for regional security.
