China Denies Report of Xi Criticizing Japan's 'Remilitarization' to Trump

Beijing has refuted a Financial Times report that Chinese President Xi Jinping attacked Japan’s “remilitarization” during talks with US President Donald Trump earlier this month.

Xi and Trump met in Beijing on May 13-15 during the first visit by a US president to China in nearly a decade.

In a Monday article, the FT claimed that Xi “castigated” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for her country’s increased military buildup in “an intense diatribe.”

According to the British newspaper, Xi grew visibly animated when discussing Japan, catching US officials off guard because the issue had not surfaced in earlier talks with Chinese counterparts ahead of the summit. The outlet described the exchange as the most intense moment of the two-day talks.

Trump reportedly defended Tokyo’s military buildup, saying Japan needed stronger defenses in the face of the growing threat from North Korea, the newspaper said. It was unclear whether he also referred to China in that context.

China’s foreign ministry denied the report later on Monday. Chinese spokeswoman Mao Ning said accounts that Xi had criticized Takaichi during the summit “do not accord with the information available to the Chinese side.”

Takaichi held phone talks with Trump right after his trip ended. According to Kyodo, the prime minister later told reporters she had received a detailed account of Trump’s conversation with Xi, but refused to comment further.

Ties between Beijing and Tokyo have deteriorated over Japan’s growing military spending and tensions around Taiwan. China’s foreign ministry said on Friday that Japan’s defense budget jumped 9.7% in 2025, extending a 14-year streak of increases, and accused Japanese conservatives of steering the country toward “neo-militarism.”

Beijing reacted angrily in November after Takaichi said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could pose an “existential threat” to Japan and justify a military response.

Beijing, which under its One-China policy views Taiwan as part of China, says it seeks peaceful reunification but has warned it could use force if the island formally declares independence.

Last week, Russia reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China principle, recognizing Taiwan as an inalienable part of China, according to a joint Moscow-Beijing statement.

In late December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also warned Tokyo against pursuing “accelerated militarization,” saying: “Our Japanese neighbors would do well to carefully weigh everything before making any rash decisions.”