On May 17, 2026, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and China's Minister of Commerce held an online meeting, marking the first ministerial-level exchange between the two countries since tensions escalated over the Taiwan issue.
The call took place as bilateral relations had entered a freeze after Japan expressed concern over China's military activities around Taiwan. The two sides discussed bilateral trade issues, including promoting cooperation in supply chains and high-tech sectors.
According to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the two ministers agreed to maintain dialogue at the working level to resolve trade frictions, while emphasizing the importance of building trust through regular exchanges.
This is seen as a first step toward cooling tensions and restoring high-level communication channels between Asia's two largest economies, whose trade ties are deeply intertwined.
