Former Foreign Minister Iwaya Takuya (岩屋毅) visited China and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅) and others. The Chinese side, however, rejected Iwaya’s proposal to reaffirm the Japan-China Joint Communiqué. The construction of a postwar order centred on the unification of Taiwan has been cited as Xi Jinping’s (習近平) objective.
From 27 to 30 September, former Foreign Minister Iwaya Takuya (岩屋毅) visited China as chairman of the Japan-China Association for the Promotion of International Trade and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅), Vice Premier He Lifeng (何立峰) and others. Approximately 50 business representatives were also reported to have accompanied him.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅) welcomed Japanese companies expanding into China, while strongly stressing that an important task was to swiftly correct the words and actions of leaders concerning the Taiwan issue.
Vice Premier He Lifeng (何立峰) spoke of promoting Japan-China economic cooperation, while, in terms of diplomatic relations, taking a position of no concessions on the Taiwan issue in line with Wang Yi’s (王毅) stance, according to reports.
Iwaya Takuya (岩屋毅) conveyed to the Chinese side a proposal to “reaffirm the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communiqué,” but reports said that the Chinese side did not respond and rejected the proposal. Jiji Press also carried a similar report.
Xi Jinping’s (習近平) strategy has been described as using the framework of the postwar order among the United States, China and Russia to advance the unification of Taiwan, with Japan’s lack of understanding being highlighted.