‘New Era’ for China-Japan Ties Dissipates Over Trump-Xi Fight
- Asian trade partners exchange reprimands over Hong Kong, virus
- Tensions have been growing in waters around disputed islands
This article is for subscribers only.
What was meant to be a landmark year for Japan-China relations has turned sour, as the U.S. standoff with Beijing leaves Prime Minister Shinzo Abe caught up in a fight between his country’s biggest trading partner and its sole military ally.
If all had gone according to plan, President Xi Jinping would have been feted on a state visit to Japan last month, the first of its kind in a decade. Instead, the event that Abe had told Xi would mark a “new era” in relations was called off as both countries battled the infection -- and its future is in question.