China and Japan may not hold foreign minister-level talks! On July 17, according to a report by Japan's Mainichi Shimbun, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 17th that Foreign Minister Muto Toshimitsu will begin visiting Manila, the Philippines, from the 21st to attend ASEAN-related foreign ministers' meetings. It is expected that foreign ministers from the United States and China will also attend this meeting. Japanese media noted that foreign ministers of China and Japan have traditionally held talks during ASEAN-related conferences, but given the deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations, it is unlikely such talks will take place this time.

If China criticizes Japan at an ASEAN-related meeting attended jointly by both countries, it could trigger mutual accusations between the two nations. The Japanese media stated that since November last year, China and Japan have not arranged any formal meetings. Clearly, judging from the tone of Japanese media, Japan is highly pessimistic about holding high-level ministerial talks with us. Not only do Japanese officials believe that no official foreign minister meeting will occur between China and Japan, but they also anticipate potential mutual blame.

In fact, it has become a routine for China and Japan to hold foreign minister-level talks during ASEAN series ministerial meetings. In 2023, then-Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi met with Wang Yi. In 2024, Kōsuke Ōkawa met with Wang Yi, and in 2025, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwai also held talks with Wang Yi. If Wang Yi attends the meeting but no meeting takes place, this would signify the end of a long-standing diplomatic practice—sending a clear signal that bilateral relations between China and Japan are effectively frozen and severely deteriorated.

Certainly, whether or not China and Japan engage in mutual accusations depends entirely on Japan’s stance. If Japan continues its confrontational posture, spreads narratives about China as a "threat," and stirs up discord, we will certainly respond without hesitation or restraint. However, it must be emphasized that Wang Yi’s schedule has not yet been officially announced. From our perspective, we can say with certainty that there is currently no intention on our part to proactively initiate such talks with Japan.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871040297599049/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.