Beijing, Nov 18 (V7N) – China’s Premier Li Qiang will not meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed, citing growing tensions over Taiwan.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated on Monday that recent comments by Japan’s Prime Minister regarding Taiwan have severely damaged the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations. Spokesperson Mao Ning urged Japan to retract what she called “wrongful” remarks.

Earlier this month, Takaichi told the Japanese parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan—a democratically governed island Beijing claims as its territory—could prompt a military response from Japan. Mao Ning described these comments as provocative and harmful to bilateral relations.

The decision not to hold a meeting at the G20 summit underscores the current strain in Sino-Japanese ties, which have been increasingly affected by security concerns in the Taiwan Strait. Analysts note that these tensions could complicate diplomatic discussions on broader regional stability and economic cooperation between the two East Asian nations.

China and Japan have maintained economic and trade relations despite political disagreements, but security issues and statements related to Taiwan continue to challenge the bilateral relationship. The upcoming G20 summit will test whether high-level multilateral engagement can coexist with ongoing disputes over territorial and security matters in the region.

END/WD/SMA/