China is deploying its economic arsenal to punish Japan for its prime minister’s comments on Taiwan.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, October 31, 2025. Credit: Prime Minister's Office of Japan
Ten days after taking office last month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shook hands with Xi Jinping, China’s leader. Less than three weeks later, relations between China and Japan have spiralled downwards into a crisis that could threaten the significant economic ties between the two Asian powerhouses.
Mao Ning, Spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, responds to a question on Sanae Takaichi's comments, November 19, 2025. Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tensions
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If Xi Jinping orders the People’s Liberation Army to take Taiwan by force, can the island turn itself into a porcupine and muster wholesale “societal resistance” from its 23 million people? Brent Crane reports from Taipei.
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