China’s Premier Li Qiang Won’t Meet Takaichi at G20, Says Chinese Foreign Ministry

Reuters

16:44 JST, November 17, 2025

BEIJING – China’s Premier Li Qiang has no plans to meet with the Japanese prime minister on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday, as tensions over Taiwan deepen.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan have seriously damaged the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations, and Japan should retract its “wrongful” remarks, Mao Ning, spokesperson at the foreign ministry, said at a regular news briefing.

Earlier this month, Takaichi told parliament that a Chinese attack on democratically-governed Taiwan, which Beijing claims to be part of its territory, could trigger a military response from Japan.