Just After Embarrassing Xi Jinping, Sanae Takaichi Did Something Else That Angered Beijing

(Sanae Takaichi posted photos and details of her meetings with Lin Hsin-yi twice—on October 31 and November 1—on the social media platform X. / Screenshot from the internet)

[People News] Following her meeting with Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a brief meeting on November 1 with Lin Hsin-yi, former Vice Premier of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Takaichi’s move infuriated Beijing, prompting the Chinese Foreign Ministry to lodge a “stern protest” and a “strong objection” with Japan.

Takaichi posted on X (formerly Twitter) on both October 31 and November 1, sharing photos of herself with Lin Hsin-yi and describing their meeting. She wrote that she “hopes Japan–Taiwan pragmatic cooperation will continue to deepen,” emphasized that “Taiwan is a precious friend and important partner,” and referred to Lin as a “Senior Adviser to the Office of the President of Taiwan.”

According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, the Taiwanese delegation said that Lin met Takaichi on November 1 in Gyeongju, South Korea, for about 20 minutes. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed that Japan and Taiwan share fundamental values, maintain close economic and interpersonal ties, and look forward to further deepening their friendship.

On behalf of President Lai Ching-te, Lin conveyed sincere congratulations to Takaichi and wished the Japanese government success under her leadership. He also expressed hope for strengthened cooperation between Taiwan and Japan in areas such as AI, digital trade, the economy, and disaster prevention.

Beijing reacted harshly. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused Japan’s leader of “insisting on meeting Taiwan authorities’ representatives during the APEC summit and hyping it up online,” claiming that Takaichi’s actions sent a “wrong signal” to so-called “Taiwan independence forces” and were of an “extremely vile nature and impact.” Beijing said it “firmly opposes” the act and has lodged a stern diplomatic protest with Tokyo.

According to the Liberty Times, Japan viewed the meeting with Taiwan’s representative as a normal interaction commonly seen at international conferences. However, given the sensitivity of Japan–China relations, Beijing amplified the incident.

The report noted that the meeting occurred after Takaichi’s talks with Xi, leading Beijing to interpret it as a deliberate provocation. Takaichi’s public posts on social media, stressing that Taiwan is “a precious friend and important partner,” were seen as a direct challenge to Beijing’s bottom line.

Japanese diplomatic sources revealed that when Takaichi became prime minister, Xi Jinping broke protocol by not sending a personal congratulatory message—instead delegating it to Premier Li Qiang, reflecting Beijing’s cool attitude toward her. Originally, no Japan–China summit had been planned for APEC. However, after U.S. President Trump’s visit to Japan highlighted close U.S.–Japan relations, Beijing abruptly reversed its stance and requested the meeting, interpreted as a sign that China could not afford to ignore Takaichi’s government amid tightening U.S.–Japan ties.

During the October 31 meeting with Xi Jinping, Takaichi did not shy away from sensitive topics such as Taiwan. She directly mentioned anti-Japanese sentiment in China, the detention of Japanese citizens, and expressed concern over the situation in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, as well as over China’s expansionist actions in the South China Sea—leaving Xi visibly uncomfortable.

The atmosphere during her meeting with Xi was markedly different from her meeting with Trump. Xi waited at the venue while Takaichi, visibly nervous, approached him. Xi initiated the greeting; the two shook hands and posed for photos. Takaichi appeared to try to smile, though her expression was slightly stiff—while Xi showed no smile at all.

Japanese media reported that the footage of their encounter sparked online discussion, with netizens commenting:“The atmosphere was extremely tense,”“She doesn’t need to force a smile,”“You can feel Prime Minister Takaichi’s strong presence,”and “Xi Jinping didn’t show a single hint of a smile.”△