Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said he raised serious concerns with President Xi Jinping over issues in the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang during their first meeting at the APEC Summit in South Korea.
Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, has long been known as a tough anti-China. In her statement, she said she still wants to maintain good relations and direct dialogue between the two countries.
He also mentioned the Senkaku Islands (called Diaoyu by China), where Japanese and Chinese ships often face off. He also discussed with Xi the issue of export controls and rare earth materials that are important to industries, as well as the safety of Japanese nationals in China and release of detained Japanese citizens.
Furthermore, Takaichi stressed the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait for regional security and stability. Takaichi is also known as a supporter of Taiwan and defense cooperation with the United States, which has about ₱3.5 trillion worth of funding for Japan's defense budget this year.
According to experts, the meeting could be off to a cold start, but both sides are said to want stability and cooperation in the region.
