Xi Jinping and Kishida Hold First Official Meeting at APEC... China Calls It "Significant," Japan Seeks "Stabilization of Relations"

President Xi Jinping Holds Bilateral Talks with Japan Following Meetings with the US and South Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Thailand.

On the 16th, Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular briefing, "China and Japan have agreed to hold a bilateral meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister Kishida during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok, Thailand."

Japan's Kyodo News reported, citing Japanese government officials, that the meeting will take place on the 17th at 8:30 PM (Korean time).

Spokesperson Mao Ning said, "This meeting holds significant meaning as it is the first formal meeting between the two leaders," adding, "The two countries plan to exchange views on China-Japan relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest."

He continued, "China and Japan are close neighbors and important countries in the same region, and this year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan," emphasizing, "Both sides should follow the general trend, uphold peace and friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage and control differences, and work together to build a relationship that meets the demands of the new era."

Prime Minister Kishida expressed his intention regarding the meeting with President Xi, saying, "I want to have a dialogue aimed at stabilizing relations."

He added, "While demanding responsible behavior, we will cooperate where possible," and stated, "We will work to build a constructive and stable relationship."

The face-to-face meeting between the leaders of China and Japan is the first in about three years since President Xi and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in Beijing during the trilateral summit of China, Japan, and South Korea in December 2019.

It is expected that the two leaders will discuss regional issues such as the Taiwan Strait and North Korea, as well as the international situation during this meeting.

Before the meeting with Japan, President Xi held separate talks with U.S. President Joe Biden on the 14th and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 15th in Bali during the G20 summit.