In the week leading up to President Donald Trump’s swearing-in for his second term, China seemed to warm up to U.S. allies.
On the 13th of January, representatives from Japan’s ruling coalition, the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, embarked on a three-day trip to China for discussions with the Chinese Communist Party. The 12-member panel, led by Moriyama Hiroshi (LDP’s secretary-general) and Nishida Makoto (Komeito’s secretary-general), aimed to stabilize relations between Tokyo and Beijing.
This visit marked the first dialogue between Japan and China’s ruling parties since October 2018. During their visit, the delegation also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, delivering a letter from Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Li also extended an invitation to Ishiba to visit China at a convenient time.
Chinese state-run media group, CGTN, reported that at the conclusion of the three-day visit, the ruling parties agreed to dialogue as the way forward in their bilateral relations. They agreed to maintain a close dialogue and communication, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and strengthen the exchange between political parties, seasoned politicians, and young politicians.
While this Japanese delegation was in China, a Chinese military delegation made a rare visit to Japan from January 14 through January 17. Japanese government spokesman Hayashi Yoshimasa said that members of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army visited their Japanese counterparts and senior Japanese defense officials.
Hayashi stated, “The promotion of mutual understanding and trust through frank communication at the commanders’ level will contribute to the building of constructive and stable relations between Japan and China. We think this visit contributes to the peace and stability of the region.”
These two meetings indicate that Japan and China’s relations are moving towards peaceful coexistence. Both have been trying to mend bilateral ties, marred by various historical and territorial disputes. However, tensions seemed to ease in recent months due to high-level visits between the two countries.
As Trump’s inauguration approached, China also reached out diplomatically to the European Union. On January 14, Xi Jinping had a phone call with President of the European Council Antonio Costa. They exchanged views on various issues, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Xi highlighted that there is no clash of fundamental interests or geopolitical conflicts between China and the EU.
Amid growing tensions between the EU and China over tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, China imposed tariffs on brandy imported from the EU. However, Xi described China-EU economic relations as “symbiotic” and urged the European Union to be its trustworthy partner.
This outreach came at a critical time, ahead of the U.S. presidential inauguration. During his second term in the White House, Trump is expected to promote “decoupling” from China, a move that could impact the EU’s supply chain from China. Given these potential challenges, both Brussels and Beijing are keen to maintain their economic stability.
With signs of economic recovery, China is keen to avoid any further setbacks. Trump’s tariff hikes could have a significant impact on China’s economy. Hence, China is working to maintain its economic and strategic status quo with Japan and the EU, key allies of the United States.
