Former Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya visits China, China demands correction of ``erroneous statements'' on Taiwan issue

[Beijing Current Affairs] Former Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, who is visiting China, met with Vice Premier He Lifeng at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the 29th. The day before, he also met with Communist Party Politburo member and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Wang, bearing in mind Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's parliamentary response regarding the Taiwan crisis in November last year, requested that Japan ``immediately correct the erroneous statements made by Japan's leaders on the Taiwan issue.''

Mr. Iwaya led a delegation to China as the chairman of the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade (Kokubo), one of the seven Japan-China friendship organizations. This is the first time that the Chinese government has officially announced a meeting with a Japanese politician since relations cooled down after the Diet's response. The Chinese side appears to have an intention to keep the Takaichi administration in check by meeting with Mr. Iwaya, who emphasizes relations with China.

Mr. He expressed his concern to Mr. Iwaya, saying, ``Some Japanese politicians are trying to challenge China's bottom line on the Taiwan issue.'' Meanwhile, according to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, Mr. He also said, ``China and Japan are important economic and trade partners for each other.We have always welcomed Japanese companies' expansion into China.''

At the meeting, Wang pointed out that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo Tribunal), and said, ``If we cannot take the right attitude on historical issues, we will not be able to face and navigate the future.'' Regarding the current Japan-China relations, he emphasized, ``We are in a difficult situation. We need to normalize.''

In response, Mr. Iwaya pointed out that ``the current state of Japan-China relations is a matter of concern,'' and responded, ``I would like to return the bilateral relationship to its roots.''