Beijing/Tokyo/Washington: Tensions between China and Japan have intensified over Taiwan in recent weeks, with both countries taking firm stances. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Suga recently warned that Japan would take military action if China attacks Taiwan. China rejected the warning, with President Xi Jinping asserting that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China and calling on Japan to retract its comments. In response to the escalating situation, travel between the two countries has been restricted, Japanese films have been suspended in China, and imports of Japanese seafood have been halted. Japan has also increased its naval patrols in the East China Sea and is reportedly considering deploying missiles near Taiwan.
Diplomatic efforts continued as President Xi Jinping spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump, reaffirming China’s claim over Taiwan. While Trump expressed concern over the issue, Xi emphasized Taiwan’s strategic importance in the post-World War II international order. The two leaders also discussed ways to strengthen U.S.-China bilateral relations and agreed to maintain the progress achieved during last month’s Thailand meeting. Xi invited Trump to visit Beijing in April, while he is scheduled to visit the United States later this year.
Trade and economic issues were also discussed during the call, including exports of chemicals used in fentanyl production, agricultural purchases, and U.S. soybean imports. Both sides continue negotiations over “general licenses” for exporting rare and critical minerals to the U.S. At the same time, the Trump administration has not lifted existing tariffs and is reviewing whether to allow the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips to China.