Xi Jinping hopeful China’s relations with Japan are ‘getting back on track’
- Chinese leader called for two sides to work together in phone call with new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga but largely steered clear of contentious topics
- Plans for visit to Japan remain up in the air, however, amid growing opposition following introduction of Hong Kong security law
Chinese President Xi Jinping has told the new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga that the two countries can offer each other support as relations “get back on track”.
Friday’s conversation was the first between the pair since Suga replaced Shinzo Abe, who resigned for medical reasons earlier this month. The call did not touch on many contentious areas that dogged relations under Abe, such as Hong Kong, Taiwan and their territorial dispute over the Diaoyu Islands, which are also known as the Senkakus.
Nor did they discuss plans for Xi to visit Japan. He had been due to make a state visit earlier this year, but it has been indefinitely postponed as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
During the telephone conversation, Xi said the two sides should work on areas of common interest, especially during the pandemic, and expressed support for next year’s rescheduled Olympics.
Xi also called on both sides to safeguard stable and smooth industrial and supply chains, as well as an open trade and investment environment, while improving the quality and level of the bilateral cooperation.
“China stands ready to work with the new Japanese government to properly handle key sensitive issues including historical ones, continue to enhance political mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and expand people-to-people exchanges amid efforts to build bilateral relations,” Xi told him, according to the state news agency Xinhua.
