Japan, China leaders to hold 1st summit in 3 years this evening

By Seima Oki and Takashi Nakagawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

14:31 JST, November 17, 2022

BANGKOK / BALI — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bangkok on Thursday evening in the first official in-person meeting of the two neighboring countries’ leaders in about three years, since December 2019.

Kishida is expected to convey to Xi Japan’s concerns about China’s threats, such as its pressure on Taiwan and the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, and to urge restraint of such actions. At the same time, the prime minister will seek clues to rebuilding Japan-China relations, which have continued to cool, by demonstrating a willingness to work together on common issues such as measures against climate change.

“I will create constructive and stable Japan-China relations,” Kishida told reporters Wednesday evening in Bali, where he stayed to attend the G20 summit.

In Bangkok, Kishida will also attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders meeting to be held on Friday and Saturday.

According to Japanese government sources, the Japan-China summit is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. Japan time) on Thursday. The prime minister departed Bali on Thursday morning by government plane, scheduled to arrive in Bangkok in the afternoon.