China rallies neighbours against Japan in rare meeting. Will it work?

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Dewey SimFebruary 6, 2026 at 02:00 AM

AI Summary

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Following controversial remarks by Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi regarding potential military intervention in a Taiwan Strait conflict, China convened a rare meeting with Southeast Asian envoys. The meeting, held in Beijing in late 2023, aimed to garner regional support for China's opposition to Takaichi's statements. China framed the meeting as an opportunity to hear the region's views, while also urging Southeast Asian countries to align with Beijing's position, citing historical grievances related to Japanese aggression during World War II. Takaichi's comments, made on November 7th, were viewed by China as a sign of Japan's potential return to militarism. However, sources indicate that China's efforts to rally support have so far gained little traction.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Taiwan Strait 40% South China Morning Post 40% Tokyo ×240% World War II 40% Southeast Asia ×360% Taiwan ×260% Beijing ×370% Sanae Takaichi ×370% Japan ×680% China ×490%

Keywords

japan 90% china 90% taiwan 80% southeast asia 70% regional support 70% military deployment 60% international relations 50% strategic ambiguity 50% world war ii 40% sanae takaichi 40%