Chinese President Xi Jinping was scheduled to have his first meetings with the newly elected Prime Ministers of Canada and Japan on Friday, following a trade war truce reached with US President Donald Trump. The discussions took place in Busan, South Korea, where Trump revealed a reduction in US tariffs while Xi committed to ensuring the supply of rare-earth minerals and increasing soybean imports.
Remaining in South Korea for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit as Trump departed, Xi was anticipated to meet Japan’s first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi. Takaichi, known for her visits to the Yasukuni shrine honoring Japan’s war dead, is viewed as having a firm stance against China. However, since assuming office, she has moderated her rhetoric.
In her recent policy speech, Takaichi expressed concerns over the military activities of China, North Korea, and Russia. She announced Japan’s plan to allocate two percent of its GDP for defense this fiscal year, ahead of schedule. In response, China questioned Japan’s commitment to a defensive stance and peaceful development, raising doubts among Asian neighbors and the global community.
During Trump’s visit to Japan en route to Busan, Takaichi highlighted Japan’s facing of unprecedented security threats while addressing the US leader aboard a US aircraft carrier. Reports from Japanese media suggested that Takaichi intended to raise significant issues with Xi regarding China’s conduct, particularly concerning the Senkaku Islands, also known as the Diaoyu Islands in China. She was also expected to request the prompt release of Japanese citizens detained in China and seek assurances for the safety of Japanese expatriates in the country.
Xi is also expected to hold talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, marking their first encounter since Carney’s election in April and the first official visit between the leaders of Canada and China since 2017. Relations between Beijing and Ottawa deteriorated significantly in 2018 following the arrest of a senior Chinese telecom executive in Vancouver at the behest of the US, leading to China detaining two Canadians on espionage charges in retaliation.
The economic and political ties between China and Canada have further strained, exacerbated by the tariff actions initiated by President Trump. Carney had previously imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on steel imports containing Chinese steel, prompting Beijing to announce a temporary customs duty of 75.8 percent on Canadian canola imports due to alleged dumping practices. Canada is a key global producer of canola, used in various products like cooking oil, animal feed, and biodiesel.
Speaking during the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, Carney mentioned that he and Xi would address their commercial relationship and the evolving global system during their discussions.