Representatives of the Japan-China Economic Association, Keidanren and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry are preparing to visit Beijing next March and aim to meet with the Xi Jinping leadership, it was learned. A visit to China planned for January last year was postponed because no clear response was received from the Chinese side. Further developments are awaited.
The Japan-China Economic Association, Keidanren and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry have begun preparations for a delegation to visit Beijing, China, next March, according to interviews with several sources. If realized, it would be the first visit to China in about two years, and the delegation aims to meet with the Xi Jinping leadership.
The visit is scheduled to be hosted by the Japan-China Economic Association. Because the association has visited China almost every year since 1975, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic, the postponement would be highly unusual. Sources indicated that preparations would proceed while assessing the Xi leadership's stance toward Japan.
Chairman Kosei Shindo (進藤孝生) of the Japan-China Economic Association, Chairman Yoshinobu Tsutsui (筒井義信) of Keidanren, Chairman Ken Kobayashi (小林健) of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and others are expected to participate at the senior executive level. Tsutsui is expected to make his first visit to China as chairman of Keidanren.
The business community has previously stated its intention to visit China within the year, making the resumption of high-level economic dialogue a key focus.