Japanese Paper: "Xi Jinping Criticized Takaichi at U.S.-China Summit... Trump Defended Her"

Xi Jinping Criticizes Japanese and Taiwanese Leaders

"Trump Praises Takaichi's Leadership"

Japanese media have reported that during the U.S.-China summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and U.S. President Donald Trump defended her.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Yonhap News Agency

On May 24, Yomiuri Shimbun, citing Japanese government officials, reported that the deterioration of China-Japan relations was discussed as an agenda item at the U.S.-China summit held in Beijing on May 14.

According to the report, President Xi specifically named Prime Minister Takaichi and Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, claiming that these two leaders threaten regional peace. He was also said to have requested President Trump not to support them.

Yomiuri Shimbun interpreted President Xi’s remarks as an attempt to create a rift in the U.S.-Japan alliance by criticizing both Prime Minister Takaichi and President Lai Ching-te at the first U.S.-China summit since Prime Minister Takaichi suggested ‘possible intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency’ in November last year.

However, President Trump reportedly responded by highly praising Prime Minister Takaichi’s leadership, expressing the view that she is “not a leader worthy of criticism.” Within Japan, President Trump’s remarks and actions are being analyzed as reaffirming the close cooperative relationship between the United States and Japan.

Earlier, at the U.S.-Japan summit in Washington, DC in March, President Trump said, “I am aware that Japan and China are experiencing somewhat tense relations,” and added, “I will praise Japan during my meeting with President Xi.”

After completing his visit to China, President Trump is said to have called Prime Minister Takaichi on May 15, becoming the first foreign leader to directly brief her on the U.S.-China summit. A senior Japanese government official told Yomiuri Shimbun, “President Trump made remarks in front of President Xi that showed his trust in the Prime Minister, allowing the United States and Japan to demonstrate their unity to China.”

However, since President Xi explicitly expressed his dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Takaichi during the U.S.-China summit, there is a prevailing view that China-Japan relations will not improve easily. Although the Japanese side is attempting to improve ties by initiating ministerial-level exchanges on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in China, it is reported that a China-Japan summit is unlikely to take place in the near future.

Yomiuri Shimbun reported that with three more U.S.-China summits expected to be held within the year, the Japanese government plans to establish the framework for its China diplomacy based on cooperation with the United States.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.