https://www.scmp.com/rss/269150/feed Breaking news and analysis on China-Japan relations, covering trade, investment, the legacy of war in Asia, military tensions and the impact of wider issues such as the US-China trade war and South China Sea. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alcott Wei Alcott Wei PLA warships transited sensitive international waterways off southwestern Japan twice this week, a rare move seen as a clear warning to Tokyo over its recent actions relating to Taiwan. The transits marked the start and end of exercises in the western Pacific, outbound through the Yokoate Channel on Sunday and back via the Yonaguni-Iriomote Waterway on Wednesday. In a statement on Wednesday, the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army said: “[We] have organised the 133rd Fleet to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351040/warning-over-taiwan-pla-warships-make-rare-transits-southwest-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351040/warning-over-taiwan-pla-warships-make-rare-transits-southwest-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:24:14 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Flights between China and Japan faced even more cancellations in March – with further cuts expected during the coming Labour Day holiday – as political tensions between the Asian neighbours continue to simmer. A total of 2,691 China-Japan flights were scrapped last month, according to figures from the data platform DAST cited by Chinese media outlet Yicai. That brought the cancellation rate to nearly 50 per cent, 1.1 percentage points higher than February. Only 2,711 flights between the two... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350995/2700-china-japan-flights-axed-march-rift-between-asian-powers-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350995/2700-china-japan-flights-axed-march-rift-between-asian-powers-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:17 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Japan has scrapped long-standing restrictions on arms exports in a major break with its post-war pacifist policy that is likely to derail any potential thaw in relations with China. The plans, given final approval by the cabinet on Tuesday, could clear the way for sales of lethal equipment that had long been banned and prompted expressions of “serious concern” from Beijing. Japan’s Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology had previously limited exports to five non-combat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350913/japans-new-arms-export-rules-trigger-chinese-warning-against-moves-towards-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350913/japans-new-arms-export-rules-trigger-chinese-warning-against-moves-towards-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:01:07 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China issued a “strong protest” after a Japanese destroyer, travelling to military exercises in the Philippines, passed through the Taiwan Strait on the anniversary of an 1895 treaty ceding the island to Japan. Friday’s voyage was a “deliberate provocation”, said Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry. The 14-hour passage by the JS Ikazuchi “once again exposes the dangerous plot of some people in Japan to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait and undermine peace and stability... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350723/japan-warships-taiwan-strait-voyage-reignites-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350723/japan-warships-taiwan-strait-voyage-reignites-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:19:52 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Tensions in East Asia reached a fresh peak with a Japanese warship’s transit of the Taiwan Strait on a historically freighted date for China. According to the PLA Eastern Theatre Command, the Japanese destroyer JS Ikazuchi spent 14 hours navigating the sensitive waterway on Friday, the anniversary of the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki or Treaty of Maguan, an unequal treaty that forced the then-ruling Qing dynasty administration to cede Taiwan to Japanese colonial rule. In a commentary on Saturday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350646/japans-treaty-day-taiwan-strait-warship-transit-new-flashpoint-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350646/japans-treaty-day-taiwan-strait-warship-transit-new-flashpoint-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:55:08 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is pursuing the first ever revision of her country’s post-World War II pacifist constitution, a step that observers say is likely to be welcomed in Washington and condemned in Beijing. Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured a historic two-thirds majority in the National Diet’s lower house in February’s election, passing the threshold needed to pass constitutional amendments without other parties’ support. “An independent constitutional amendment... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350506/peace-out-takaichi-putting-japans-pacifist-constitution-chopping-block?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350506/peace-out-takaichi-putting-japans-pacifist-constitution-chopping-block?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China criticised Japan for sending a warship through the Taiwan Strait on Friday, just days after Tokyo announced its troops would join a major US-Philippine military drill for the first time. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said the entry of a Japanese Self-Defence Force vessel into the strait was a “deliberate provocation.” He added that Beijing had lodged a “strong protest” with Tokyo. “The Chinese military has dealt with this incident in accordance with regulations,” Guo said. “[The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350499/china-slams-japan-sending-warship-through-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350499/china-slams-japan-sending-warship-through-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Alcott Wei Seong Hyeon Choi,Alcott Wei Japan’s most extensive participation to date in a counter-landing and missile defence exercise in the Philippines signals its “priorities” in deterring Beijing in a Taiwan contingency, according to analysts. Japan’s Joint Staff announced on Tuesday that its Self-Defence Forces (SDF) would deploy about 1,400 personnel, multiple warships and aircraft, as well as Type 88 anti-ship missile systems for the Balikatan exercise, an annual large-scale joint military drill between the Philippines and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350344/what-does-japans-role-us-philippine-military-drill-mean-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350344/what-does-japans-role-us-philippine-military-drill-mean-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Fan Chen,Cao Jiaxuan Fan Chen,Cao Jiaxuan Japan has pledged US$10 billion to its Asian neighbours in energy support, in what analysts say is a strategic bid to counter China’s regional influence and position itself as a reliable partner as the Iran war upends global oil markets and supply chains. However, one observer argued that the move’s impact might be limited, given Japan’s inability to alter the ground realities in the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries’ instinct for strategic hedging over picking sides. Unveiled by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350353/can-japans-us10b-energy-shield-oust-chinas-influence-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350353/can-japans-us10b-energy-shield-oust-chinas-influence-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:02:15 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The Chinese embassy in Japan has received a series of “terrorist threats”, including an intrusion and a bomb threat, in the past month, a diplomat said on Thursday, describing the incidents as “extremely egregious”. Shi Yong, the acting head of the embassy, said that on March 5 the embassy received a threatening letter from an organisation claiming to comprise former Japanese police officers and former Self-Defence Forces members. Shi said the embassy had reported the matter to the local police,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350341/china-says-tokyo-embassy-intrusion-bomb-threat-are-among-grave-violations-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350341/china-says-tokyo-embassy-intrusion-bomb-threat-are-among-grave-violations-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:15 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang China has issued its first map pinpointing seabed chemical elements in the country’s eastern waters as Japan also races to tap undersea rare earth resources and deep-sea minerals. The Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources published the results of marine geological surveys over the past two decades for the seas, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday. The result was an atlas charting the location, concentration and distribution patterns of dozens of elements in seabed sediments, including... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350168/next-frontier-china-maps-seabed-resources-japan-races-tap-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350168/next-frontier-china-maps-seabed-resources-japan-races-tap-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Japan is planning to replace some of its attack helicopters with multipurpose drones, prompting warnings from some Chinese media outlets and analysts that this could be seen as a hostile move. The country’s defence budget, which took effect on April 7 for this financial year, allocates 11.1 billion yen (US$70 million) for the procurement of five wide-area unmanned aerial vehicles. A further 280 billion yen was allocated for research and development into “unmanned asset defence... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350063/should-china-be-worried-japan-starts-replacing-helicopters-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350063/should-china-be-worried-japan-starts-replacing-helicopters-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:19 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Japan’s participation in annual US-Philippine military exercises is a “big deal”, because it shows how Tokyo is taking a bigger role in regional groupings that could face off with China, according to analysts. More than 7,000 soldiers from the United States and Philippine armies are taking part in this year’s Salaknib drill, a joint annual exercise that started on the north of Luzon island on Monday. The exercise aims to “enhance combat readiness and interoperability between the two armies,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349650/big-deal-military-drills-showing-tokyos-growing-focus-deterring-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349650/big-deal-military-drills-showing-tokyos-growing-focus-deterring-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun blamed Japanese “imperialist forces” for dividing mainland China and Taiwan, as she paid tribute to Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen at his mausoleum in Nanjing on Wednesday. In a speech delivered after the Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman laid a floral wreath before a statue of the founder of modern China, Cheng said Taiwan became a Japanese colony at a time of national weakness, following the 1895 defeat of China in the first Sino-Japanese war. She said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349383/imperialist-forces-divided-taiwan-mainland-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349383/imperialist-forces-divided-taiwan-mainland-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:14:21 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Japan is considering plans to relax its rules on the sale of offensive weapons in a move that one Chinese analyst said may open the door to it exporting weapons to war zones and possibly to Taiwan. Currently, Japan can only export military equipment designated for five defensive purposes: rescue, transport, warning, surveillance or minesweeping. But a draft government document, reportedly seen by the news agency Kyodo, would scrap this rule and these categories. Kyodo said the new regulations... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349045/why-china-worried-japans-plans-change-rules-arms-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349045/why-china-worried-japans-plans-change-rules-arms-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:37:00 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Japan plans to introduce a fleet of kamikaze drones and low-cost missiles to boost deterrence against regional threats including China, according to Japanese media reports. The Yomiuri newspaper and Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday that the strategy was focused on “integrated attacks” from unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range stand-off missiles, citing government and ruling coalition sources. They said the drones and missiles would be used to break down enemy air defences and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348960/eye-china-japan-looks-kamikaze-drones-and-low-cost-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348960/eye-china-japan-looks-kamikaze-drones-and-low-cost-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:00:23 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen As Tokyo was completing the deployment on Tuesday of its two Type 25 missiles targeting China, a Chinese naval fleet entered the Sea of Japan, while bilateral tensions continued to escalate. China has strongly protested the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force’s addition of the newly designated Type 25 long-range surface-to-ship guided (SSM) missile and hypervelocity gliding projectiles (HGP). The deployments in the waters – also known in South Korea as the East Sea – were an example of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348676/chinese-navy-arrives-sea-japan-just-tokyo-deploys-long-range-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348676/chinese-navy-arrives-sea-japan-just-tokyo-deploys-long-range-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:01:24 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s military mouthpiece accused Japan of “dangerously expanding” its defence industry – in capacity, technology and international engagement – and said it had “crossed the red line”. In a rare full-page report on Monday, PLA Daily claimed Japan possessed an “astonishing” stockpile of nuclear materials and that it had the technology to produce nuclear weapons. It said 44.4 tonnes of plutonium had already been separated by the end of 2024 – enough to make about 5,500 nuclear warheads. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348518/japan-has-enough-plutonium-make-5500-nuclear-warheads-pla-daily-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348518/japan-has-enough-plutonium-make-5500-nuclear-warheads-pla-daily-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:08:14 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that long-range missiles with counterstrike capabilities have been brought into service at two Ground Self-Defence Force bases in the country. The deployment of the missiles at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto prefecture, southwestern Japan, and Camp Fuji in Shizuoka prefecture, central Japan, marks a shift from the country’s exclusively defence-oriented policy under its war-renouncing constitution. Japan has for the first time acquired a counterstrike capability,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348516/japan-deploys-long-range-missiles-2-bases-amid-china-tensions-irking-locals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348516/japan-deploys-long-range-missiles-2-bases-amid-china-tensions-irking-locals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:53:07 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Beijing has imposed sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya for allegedly “colluding with the Taiwan independence forces”. “Japanese House of Representatives member Keiji Furuya, despite strong opposition from China, has repeatedly made provocative visits to Taiwan and colluded with ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, seriously violating the one-China principle,” Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Monday. Furuya, 73, is a lawmaker with Japan’s ruling Liberal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348343/beijing-sanctions-japanese-lawmaker-colluding-taiwan-independence-forces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348343/beijing-sanctions-japanese-lawmaker-colluding-taiwan-independence-forces?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:59:07 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Japan has upgraded a naval vessel with capabilities to fire long-range Tomahawk missiles, with the first firing test expected this summer – a move experts said would pose a security threat to China. The Aegis destroyer Chokai “completed modifications and crew training” in the US that started in October, “confirming its acquisition of Tomahawk missile launch capabilities”, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Friday. He said a ceremony marking the acquisition of these capabilities... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348299/japan-upgrades-destroyer-tomahawk-missiles-why-it-might-pose-threat-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348299/japan-upgrades-destroyer-tomahawk-missiles-why-it-might-pose-threat-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang As one of the biggest targets of wartime looting in centuries past, China is now positioning itself as a global pioneer in repatriating lost cultural artefacts. In this article, the first in a two-part series, Xinlu Liang looks at whether a stolen 1,300-year-old Chinese stone now housed in Japan’s Imperial Palace can become a test case for a reckoning over wartime plunder. In 1945, following Japan’s surrender to the Allies, supreme commander General Douglas MacArthur ordered the country to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348164/why-chinas-demand-japan-return-ancient-tablet-could-mark-historical-reckoning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348164/why-chinas-demand-japan-return-ancient-tablet-could-mark-historical-reckoning?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:00:29 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Japan’s structural reform of its maritime force reflects a shift towards quasi-carrier operations and preparations for a potential conflict with Beijing, according to Chinese analysts. The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) on Monday revamped its organisational structure to accelerate decision-making and improve ship operations, according to Kyodo News. The agency described the move as part of Japan’s efforts to strengthen defence amid China’s growing assertiveness. As part of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347889/should-china-be-worried-about-japans-maritime-force-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347889/should-china-be-worried-about-japans-maritime-force-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen A senior Japanese official and the country’s military have expressed regret after a serving officer was arrested on suspicion of trespassing at the Chinese embassy in Tokyo. Tokyo police have identified the 23-year-old suspect as Kodai Murata, a second lieutenant with the Ground Self-Defence Force (SDF), and said he was suspected of bringing an 18cm (7-inch) knife onto the embassy premises. No one was injured in the incident and a blade was found in shrubbery on the embassy grounds, Japanese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347833/senior-japanese-minister-expresses-regret-over-army-officers-arrest-chinese-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347833/senior-japanese-minister-expresses-regret-over-army-officers-arrest-chinese-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:15:48 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen With Tokyo expected to downgrade the description of ties with Beijing in its annual diplomatic report, mainland China says the Japanese prime minister’s “erroneous remarks on Taiwan” are at the root of their current tensions. On Tuesday, China’s foreign ministry said comments by Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi had sparked anger in China and breached a “red line”. Japan will describe China in its 2026 diplomatic blue book as an important neighbour, and the relationship as “strategic” and “mutually... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347740/tokyo-moves-downgrade-status-china-ties-beijing-moves-blame-japanese-pm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347740/tokyo-moves-downgrade-status-china-ties-beijing-moves-blame-japanese-pm?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:59:09 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma People’s Daily, a mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist Party, has warned Japan that higher military spending and what the newspaper called a looming “defence bubble” will not save an economy weakened by the falling yen and Iran war energy crisis, amid a protracted diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo. In a Tuesday commentary published under the “Zhong Sheng” pen name – a pseudonym used to voice Beijing’s position on global affairs – the paper said the administration of Japanese Prime... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347708/china-warns-japan-new-militarism-takaichinomics-risk-instability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347708/china-warns-japan-new-militarism-takaichinomics-risk-instability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A pair of advanced destroyers kicked off an intensive and wide-ranging training exercise soon after they were assigned to the People’s Liberation Army division that oversees Taiwan and the East China Sea. The newly commissioned 12,000-tonne guided-missile destroyers, the Dongguan and Anqing, took part in their first live-fire training in mid-March, simulating high-intensity combat missions, the official PLA Daily reported on Sunday. The Type 055 “super destroyers” are the first of their kind in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347726/new-type-055-destroyers-pla-east-china-fleet-tested-first-live-fire-drill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347726/new-type-055-destroyers-pla-east-china-fleet-tested-first-live-fire-drill?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:12:05 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The official newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army has condemned Japan’s deployment of stand-off weapons, including upgraded Type-12 missiles, accusing it of creating a “kill network” capable of targeting both coastal and inland areas of neighbouring countries. The enhanced Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles are set to be deployed at Camp Kengun in Japan’s southwestern Kumamoto prefecture by the end of this month. On Tuesday, the PLA Daily reported that the upgraded Type-12 missile featured a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347707/china-slams-japans-kill-network-long-range-missile-deployment-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347707/china-slams-japans-kill-network-long-range-missile-deployment-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:00:14 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng A Japanese person who claimed to be an active officer of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces illegally and forcibly entered the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, Beijing said. “China is deeply shocked by this incident and has lodged a strong protest with Japan,” Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. The person admitted to the illegality of their actions and threatened to kill Chinese diplomatic personnel in the name of god, Lin Jian, spokesman for the foreign ministry, told a regular media... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347694/japanese-soldier-forces-his-way-chinese-embassy-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347694/japanese-soldier-forces-his-way-chinese-embassy-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 08:01:01 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat China has cut exports of two metals used in military technology to Japan while increasing shipments of rare earth magnets, in what could signal a muted warning after geopolitical tensions between the two Asian economies flared last year. Exports of gallium to Japan registered zero volume in the first two months of the year, compared with 8,007kg (17,652 pounds) in the same period of 2025, customs data showed. Germanium exports were also at zero in January and February, compared with 400kg (882... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347567/china-cuts-exports-two-hi-tech-metals-japan-increases-rare-earth-shipments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347567/china-cuts-exports-two-hi-tech-metals-japan-increases-rare-earth-shipments?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:00:15 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A White House photo of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appearing to break into a dance at an official function ignited a wave of mockery across Chinese social media on the weekend, with commenters framing her as Washington’s biggest cheerleader. The photograph, the first in an official White House gallery from her summit with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, captures Takaichi in a moment of unbridled exuberance during a welcome reception. Making her first trip to Washington since... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347471/trumps-biggest-cheerleader-why-japans-takaichi-making-waves-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347471/trumps-biggest-cheerleader-why-japans-takaichi-making-waves-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma Beijing has urged global commitment to opening up, while pledging to create more blue ocean markets in a world engulfed by protectionism. Delivering the opening address to the China Development Forum on Sunday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said, “protectionism is by no means a panacea for solving problems”, instead calling for opening up and technological progress to drive new market growth. “[Now,] power politics is running rampant, acting with impunity; at the same time, calls to uphold fairness... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347456/premier-li-qiang-calls-global-pledge-open-while-power-politics-runs-rampant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347456/premier-li-qiang-calls-global-pledge-open-while-power-politics-runs-rampant?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 01:36:02 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow US President Donald Trump said he will be “speaking Japan’s praises” when he makes a delayed trip to China, even with the two Asian nations engaged in a long-running dispute over Taiwan. The Beijing visit, including a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, has been postponed “for about a month and a half”, Trump told reporters in the White House alongside Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The US president was due to arrive in China on March 31. Trump’s remarks underscore how China has... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347287/trump-praise-japan-china-xi-summit-delayed-pla-nato-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347287/trump-praise-japan-china-xi-summit-delayed-pla-nato-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:00:44 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/series/3347271/china-and-japans-complicated-ties-turbulent-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/series/3347271/china-and-japans-complicated-ties-turbulent-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 06:07:08 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma William Klein worked for more than two decades as a US diplomat, including in several senior roles at the United States’ embassy in Beijing from 2016 to 2021. He worked at the American Institute in Taiwan and on the US State Department’s China desk in Washington, and occupied US diplomatic posts in South Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union. He is based in the Berlin office of FGS Global, a consultancy with a focus on US-China and EU-China relationships. SCMP Plus readers get early... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347242/inside-look-trump-xi-summits-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347242/inside-look-trump-xi-summits-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China and Japan’s long-standing rivalry has deep historic roots, and relations between the two have taken a significant turn for the worse in recent months. This article, the third in a three-part series, looks at how US President Donald Trump, Taiwan and war in the Middle East factor into their relationship. Read the second part here. As Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host regional leaders for the Apec summit later this year, observers are closely watching whether the summit could... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347188/uncompromising-takaichis-meeting-trump-seen-key-china-japan-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347188/uncompromising-takaichis-meeting-trump-seen-key-china-japan-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:00:14 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang China and Japan’s long-standing rivalry has deep historic roots, and relations between the two have taken a significant turn for the worse in recent months. This, the second in a three-part series, looks at whether Beijing overplayed its hand on the Taiwan issue in the face of what is a ‘strategic reality’ for Japan and how it may leverage its history of Japanese aggression. Find the first part here. More than four months into the bitter chill that has settled over China-Japan relations, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346997/why-beijing-has-struggled-rally-asia-against-japan-over-takaichis-taiwan-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346997/why-beijing-has-struggled-rally-asia-against-japan-over-takaichis-taiwan-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China and Japan’s long-standing rivalry has deep historic roots, and relations between the two have taken a significant turn for the worse in recent months. This article, the first in a three-part series, looks at how both countries are trying to turn soft power to their advantage in the battle to shape international opinion. Read the second part here. The rise of China’s soft power has been fuelled by global successes in fields ranging from gaming and films to consumer brands and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346910/why-japan-thinks-chinas-growing-cultural-clout-something-it-needs-counter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346910/why-japan-thinks-chinas-growing-cultural-clout-something-it-needs-counter?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Japan is deploying its domestically produced long-range missiles near the East China Sea – a move that could be interpreted by Beijing as crossing a “strategic threshold”, analysts say. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Monday that the upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles would be deployed at Camp Kengun in the southwestern Japanese prefecture of Kumamoto by the end of this month. Ground forces vehicles carrying the first batch of missile launchers were reportedly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346610/why-japans-type-12-missile-deployment-may-complicate-chinas-regional-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346610/why-japans-type-12-missile-deployment-may-complicate-chinas-regional-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai has come under fire over what he said was a private visit to Japan to support the island’s team at the World Baseball Classic last week – a trip that drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing. Cho travelled to Tokyo on March 7, watching Taiwan defeat the Czech Republic 14-0 at the Tokyo Dome in the tournament’s Pool C round. He returned to Taipei the same day. It was the first visit to Japan by a sitting Taiwanese premier since Tokyo ended official ties with Taipei in 1972... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346546/swing-and-miss-taiwans-premier-under-fire-over-baseball-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346546/swing-and-miss-taiwans-premier-under-fire-over-baseball-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:00:15 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Japan’s unilateral decision to release oil from its emergency stockpiles highlights its vulnerability to prolonged supply disruptions and may leave it more exposed to economic pressure from China amid tense bilateral relations, according to analysts. Tokyo announced earlier this week that it planned to release a total of 80 million barrels starting March 16, marking the first time it would independently tap its national reserves. The decision came ahead of a coordinated response by the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346499/japan-taps-oil-reserves-iran-war-spreads-could-it-give-china-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346499/japan-taps-oil-reserves-iran-war-spreads-could-it-give-china-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Zhao Tong is a senior fellow with the Nuclear Policy Programme at Washington-based think tank the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and its East Asia-based research centre on contemporary China, Carnegie China. His research focuses on strategic security issues, including nuclear weapons policy, deterrence, arms control, non-proliferation, missile defence, hypersonic weapons, regional security in the Asia-Pacific and China’s security and foreign policy. SCMP Plus readers get early access... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3346333/us-israeli-war-iran-may-spark-nuclear-arms-race-carnegie-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3346333/us-israeli-war-iran-may-spark-nuclear-arms-race-carnegie-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:39:17 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Mainland Chinese citizens feel more favourable towards Taiwan than they did six months ago, support a hardline stance towards the US if another trade war erupts and view Russia and North Korea most positively and Japan least positively among their neighbours, according to a new survey by the Carter Centre and Emory University. One finding that comes through loud and clear, its authors said, is that mainlanders believe they have arrived and their country now belongs in a grouping limited to China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346151/mainland-chinese-see-taiwan-positively-wont-retreat-us-trade-war-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346151/mainland-chinese-see-taiwan-positively-wont-retreat-us-trade-war-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:50:18 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said 2026 could be a “landmark year” in relations with the United States, allaying concerns that the war in Iran might derail ties and an expected visit by US President Donald Trump. “I believe that when the two sides treat each other with sincerity and good faith, we will be able to lengthen the list of cooperation, and shorten the list of problems,” Wang told reporters in Beijing on Sunday. The countries could “produce results that are satisfactory to both... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345967/chinas-wang-sees-landmark-year-us-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345967/chinas-wang-sees-landmark-year-us-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Beijing’s top diplomat has issued a stark warning against any attempt to thwart reunification with Taiwan and repeated his country’s criticism of Tokyo, dimming hopes that the diplomatic row sparked by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan would come to an end any time soon. The comments by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, delivered in a press conference on Sunday as part of the “two sessions”, were the latest in a series of strong criticisms by Beijing officials following... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345882/wang-yi-warns-japan-taiwan-red-line-dashing-hopes-ending-diplomatic-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345882/wang-yi-warns-japan-taiwan-red-line-dashing-hopes-ending-diplomatic-row?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 10:31:05 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Foreign Minister Wang Yi faced global media on Sunday morning to outline Beijing’s positions on key issues, ranging from the expanding crisis in Iran to China’s deepening dispute with Japan. The annual briefing, held as part of the annual “two sessions”, came as China sought to project its leadership and influence amid mounting global instability and manage its strategic rivalry with the US. This year, the top Chinese diplomat fielded 21 questions in a briefing that lasted nearly 90... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345852/takeaways-foreign-minister-wang-yi-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345852/takeaways-foreign-minister-wang-yi-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:38:36 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is considering a significant expansion of its military presence on Iwoto – the island south of Tokyo better known as Iwo Jima and the site of one of World War II’s fiercest battles – as it responds to growing Chinese activity in the Pacific Ocean. The Asahi newspaper reported on Wednesday that the defence ministry planned to strengthen its presence on the volcanic island, about 1,207km south of the Japanese capital. Analysts say the aim is to bolster the economic and military security of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345637/japan-weighs-military-upgrade-iwo-jima-amid-growing-chinese-presence-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345637/japan-weighs-military-upgrade-iwo-jima-amid-growing-chinese-presence-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Terry Su Terry Su I underestimated Japan’s determination to ruffle China’s feathers. In a November 2023 column, I argued that the apparently cordial meeting between President Xi Jinping and then US president Joe Biden in the US unsettled Japan, which wanted to attain its goal of becoming a “normal country” again. In a column last December, I said Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s hardened position against China – exemplified by her November 7 speech saying China’s forceful takeover of Taiwan could pose an... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3344382/japans-rightward-shift-puts-it-collision-course-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3344382/japans-rightward-shift-puts-it-collision-course-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Thailand led the list of destinations for Chinese tourists travelling overseas during this year’s extended Lunar New Year holiday, as former favourite Japan saw arrivals plummet amid a political dispute with China over Taiwan. The Southeast Asian nation saw roughly 250,000 arrivals from China during the holiday, which ran from February 15 to 23, according to the travel marketing and technology firm China Trading Desk. This year’s Lunar New Year holiday was expected to be a key period for global... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344421/chinese-tourism-japan-plunges-50-over-lunar-new-year-thailand-cashes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344421/chinese-tourism-japan-plunges-50-over-lunar-new-year-thailand-cashes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee,Alice Li Yeon Woo Lee,Alice Li For his family’s first overseas trip together, Tang Junjie carefully planned a holiday to Japan during China’s longest Lunar New Year break on record. Flights were booked months in advance by the 22-year-old from Sichuan province, who had already made three solo visits to the neighbouring country that has long been a draw for Chinese tourists. But a sudden deterioration in Sino-Japanese relations changed everything. “The original plan was to transit through Seoul on our way to Japan,” Tang said.... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3344356/seoul-gains-tokyos-pain-over-lunar-new-year-politics-reshapes-chinas-tourism-map?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3344356/seoul-gains-tokyos-pain-over-lunar-new-year-politics-reshapes-chinas-tourism-map?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 03:00:11 +0000