Chinese President Xi Jinping questions whether Japan will continue on the path of peaceful development

Meeting with Former Prime Minister Fukuda: "Concerns Over Retreat in China Policy"

Wang Yi, China's top diplomat and member of the Communist Party Central Political Bureau, met with former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and said, "There are reasons to doubt whether Japan will continue to adhere to the path of peaceful development."

According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on the 2nd, Wang met with former Prime Minister Fukuda, who visited China to attend the Boao Forum (March 28?31, Hainan Province), in Beijing on the 31st of last month and made these remarks. Wang also emphasized, "There are reasons to be concerned about the possibility of Japan retreating from its China policy."

Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Meets Former Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda (left) [Image source=Yonhap News]

Wang's remarks appear to express concern over Japan's recent acceleration of military integration with the United States and its active participation in the U.S.'s efforts to contain China. In particular, his questioning of Japan's "path of peaceful development" can be interpreted as a critique of Japan's moves to acquire "counterattack capabilities" that would allow it to strike enemy missile bases, seemingly trying to move away from the principle of exclusive defense (專守防衛, which allows the use of defense forces only when attacked).

Timing-wise, this is seen as a preemptive check ahead of the upcoming meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor Qin Gang.

Wang also expressed hope that Japan would return to the original intentions of the "Four Political Documents," which represent the existing major agreements between China and Japan, exclude interference from either side, and strive to bring China-Japan relations back onto a healthy development track. Furthermore, he added that he hopes both countries will create conditions to fully resume exchanges in all areas in the "post-COVID" era.

In response, former Prime Minister Fukuda said, "Japan-China relations are very important," and expressed hope that "both sides will maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, enhance mutual understanding, eliminate misunderstandings and misjudgments, and work together for peace and development in the Asia region."