China presses Japan on Taiwan while tensions persist

BEIJING (AFP) — China’s top diplomat urged Japan to change its position on Taiwan as he met former Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in Beijing amid strained ties between the Asian powers.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Iwaya on Monday that relations were “waiting to be normalized again,” according to China’s Foreign Ministry.

“For the Japanese side, the most urgent task is to correct the erroneous remarks and actions of the country’s leaders on the Taiwan question,” Wang said according to his ministry.

Relations have deteriorated since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November 2025 that Tokyo could intervene in an attack on Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory.

China subsequently warned its citizens against traveling to Japan and imposed trade restrictions.

Iwaya, who served as foreign minister until October 2025, is leading a delegation of about 50 business leaders seeking to promote bilateral trade.

“Because these are difficult times, it is important to seek paths to improvement through dialogue,” Iwaya told reporters before leaving Tokyo on Sunday.

Japan said it remained important to maintain communication with China despite outstanding disputes and differences between the two countries.