Xi Slams Japan’s Remilitarisation at Trump‑China Summit
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- Xi Jinping criticised Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s push for remilitarisation during his May summit with US President Donald Trump in Beijing, according to the Financial Times.
- Trump told Xi that Takaichi has been forced to adopt a more assertive security stance due to the rising threat from North Korea.
- Japan has recently lifted many restrictions on the sale of military hardware and Takaichi signalled a softening of its anti‑nuclear‑weapon principles, prompting rebukes from China.
- Xi’s criticism was the most heated part of the summit, catching US officials off guard, as Japan had not been a topic in bilateral talks leading up to the meeting.
- Takaichi and Trump spoke by phone after the summit and agreed to communicate on key Indo‑Pacific matters, though details were not disclosed.
Why it matters: China’s rebuke of Japan’s remilitarisation intensifies diplomatic strain, risking further trade curbs and travel restrictions that already hurt Japanese exporters, tourism revenues, and foreign investment.
