"Xi Jinping Harshly Criticizes Japan's Takaichi to Trump at U.S.-China Summit"

Trump Defends Japan, Citing "North Korea"
FT: "In Reality, Japan's Top Security Concern is China"

Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly displayed significant wariness regarding Japan’s increase in defense spending during his recent summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Photo by Yonhap News

On May 25 (local time), the Financial Times (FT) cited seven anonymous sources to report on the circumstances of the U.S.-China summit held in Beijing earlier this month.

According to the FT, President Xi raised his voice and appeared visibly agitated during the meeting, directing criticism at Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. His reaction during this exchange was reportedly the most intense moment of the two-day summit, leaving even the U.S. officials present somewhat taken aback.

After President Xi strongly criticized Prime Minister Takaichi and Japan’s increased defense budget, President Trump responded by stating that, given the growing threat from North Korea, the Japanese government had no choice but to take a more proactive approach to its security.

However, Japan has recently prioritized the threat posed by China over that of North Korea in its annual defense white papers. Since 2023, Japan has described China’s military activities and external posture as its “greatest strategic challenge.” The draft of Japan’s 2026 defense white paper focuses on recent instances of Chinese military aggression and expresses “serious concern” over the deepening military cooperation between China and Russia.

Previously, in November last year, Prime Minister Takaichi commented that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute an “existential threat” to Japan, which could justify the deployment of Japanese forces. In response, China condemned Japan and took concrete measures such as restricting dual-use rare earth exports, causing a rapid deterioration in bilateral relations.

On May 22, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized Japan for raising its military budget by 9.7% last year, pointing out, “Japan’s defense budget has increased for 14 consecutive years, yet right-wing forces in Japan continue to clamor for further increases.” The ministry further stated, “This once again reveals that Japan’s mask as a ‘peaceful nation’ is slipping off and that the country is sliding towards a new form of militarism.”

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Japan’s military spending in 2025 was 62 billion dollars (93.63 trillion won). In contrast, China’s 2025 defense budget rose 7.4% year-on-year to 336 billion dollars (507.42 trillion won), making it the world’s second-largest military spender and marking the 31st consecutive year of increases.

The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. declined to comment to FT on President Xi’s remarks. However, it argued that Japanese “right-wing forces” are “undermining the foundations of regional peace.” The embassy asserted, “Above all, Japan must correct its erroneous rhetoric and actions regarding Taiwan, halt its reckless rearmament, return to the proper path of good neighborly relations and peaceful development, and earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the world through concrete actions.”

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