Japan unlikely to fix date soon for delayed state visit by China’s Xi Jinping
- Bilateral ties complicated by Beijing’s tightening grip on Hong Kong and tensions with Washington – Tokyo’s key ally
- Trip originally slated for spring was postponed because of coronavirus pandemic
The delay in rescheduling what will be the first state visit by a Chinese president since 2008 comes on the heels of heightened tensions between China and the United States – Japan’s key ally.
US President Donald Trump has been stepping up criticism of China over the coronavirus pandemic and the issue of Hong Kong.
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“We’ve not moved forward at all [in terms of preparing for Xi’s visit]. Tackling the new coronavirus comes first and beyond that we are not talking about the schedule. Nothing has been decided yet,” a government source said.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Wednesday that Xi’s visit would take place after November, when the summit meeting of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies is scheduled in Saudi Arabia.
Even if Japan and China hold a summit on the G20 fringes and move to fix a date, the prevailing view within the government is that it is likely to take a few months to make necessary preparations and thus Xi’s visit will not come until early next year or later.
A state guest can meet the emperor and attend a banquet at the Imperial Palace. Japan receives around two state guests a year.
China-Japan ties ‘will stay on course’ despite state visit delay
Xi’s visit this spring would have underscored the warming of bilateral ties long frayed over wartime history and territory.
In recent weeks, however, China has continued to send ships to waters near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Two Chinese Coast Guard ships chased a Japanese fishing boat in Japanese territorial waters around the Japanese-controlled, Chinese-claimed islands in early May.
Expressing serious concerns about the situation in Hong Kong, two LDP panels submitted a resolution to the government in late May, urging it to carefully reconsider whether the visit should go ahead.
For his part, Abe has been seeking to create a “new era” for Japan and China and is unlikely to give up on receiving Xi as a state guest, the government sources said, even though he would have to take heed of the voices of his conservative support base and some LDP lawmakers who are opposed.
Defence Minister Taro Kono sounded cautious about welcoming Xi, saying that the security situation facing Japan should be taken into consideration.
“As defence minister responsible for security, I will make my voice heard within the government,” Kono said at a press conference on Friday.
