China denies Japan claim of ASEAN meeting exchange amid Taiwan tensions

Beijing,UPDATED: Jul 27, 2026 17:30 IST

China and Japan have given conflicting accounts of whether their foreign ministers spoke briefly at last week’s ASEAN regional meeting in the Philippines, highlighting the strain in ties between the two countries.

Japan has been seeking chances to rebuild relations, but China has kept its distance as ties have worsened since November over remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan. The tensions have also affected the economy, including a drop in Chinese tourists visiting Japan, and have added to concerns in both countries over the expansion of each other’s militaries.

Japan’s Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters last week that he had briefly discussed bilateral relations with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when they ran into each other during the meeting.

However, China’s Foreign Ministry rejected that account on Monday. Spokesperson Lin Jian said at a daily briefing, "Let me make it clear once again that during his visit to Manila, Foreign Minister Wang Yi did not have a meeting with the Japanese side on his schedule, nor did any brief exchanges take place on the site."

Motegi, while speaking last week, said, "As we have repeatedly noted, Japan is open to dialogue at all levels, and that I believe it is extremely important that we continue our dialogue as both Japan and China hold a major responsibility for regional peace." Japanese media, however, reported that the exchange between Motegi and Wang was largely limited to greetings and pleasantries.

Takaichi told a news conference on Monday that the two sides were holding dialogue at various levels, including Motegi’s exchange with Wang. The broader tensions date back to November, shortly after she became prime minister, when she was asked in parliament whether a Chinese blockade of Taiwan or other military action could be a case in which Japan might become involved under its policy of collective self-defence.

That policy allows Japan’s military to help an ally, most likely the United States, if conditions such as ensuring Japan’s survival are met. Takaichi replied that the Taiwan example could meet the criteria, saying, "If it involves the use of warships and military actions, it could by all means become a survival-threatening situation."

China saw the remark as crossing a red line in relations with other countries. As it pushes to gain control of Taiwan, Beijing opposes any words or actions, including US arms sales to Taiwan, that it says encourage what it calls Taiwan independence forces. Taiwan is self-governing, but China claims it as its territory.

Takaichi has refused to withdraw her remarks, though she later told the same parliamentary committee that she would avoid discussing specific collective self-defence scenarios in future. The differing accounts over the ASEAN meeting have again brought focus to the wider tensions between China and Japan.

With PTI Inputs

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