Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi allayed fears she would take a more hawkish approach to Beijing in her first meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, conveying instead her will to “deepen their personal relationship” and promote a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests.”
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the city of Gyeongju in South Korea on Friday as part of efforts to reassure each other as relations remain strained by deep rifts on issues ranging from national security to the economy.
The phrase “mutually beneficial strategic ties” was first used in a joint statement between former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi’s political mentor, and Chinese President Hu Jintao in 2006, referring to promoting bilateral ties, including economic ties, despite political differences.
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