Overview
- Japan’s Asia–Pacific envoy Masaaki Kanai met Chinese counterpart Liu Jinsong in Beijing, where China lodged a “strong protest” over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s statement on potential intervention in a Taiwan conflict.
- Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said China would continue to protect the safety of foreign citizens in the country after Japan told its nationals in China to take extra precautions.
- AFP journalists saw Takaichi leave China’s foreign ministry following the talks as Beijing publicly pressed her to retract the remarks it says damage the political foundation of bilateral ties.
- Beijing’s advisory urging Chinese to avoid travel to Japan and airlines’ refund offers have hit Japanese tourism‑linked stocks, drawing a protest from Tokyo.
- Security tensions have included a China Coast Guard “rights‑enforcement” patrol near the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands and a suspected Chinese drone flight that prompted a Japanese fighter scramble near Yonaguni.