Chinese Communist Party Alters Content of Talks Between Shigeru Ishiba and Wang Yi – Japan Demands Deletion

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Prime Minister’s official residence (administrative center) on March 21st. The Japanese government discovered that the content published on the official website of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs included statements attributed to Ishiba that he did not make, leading Japan to protest to China and request the removal of the false information.

According to a report by the Nikkei newspaper, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on March 22nd that the content of the meeting between Ishiba and Wang Yi as published by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 21st differed from what Ishiba had actually said, prompting Japan to request the deletion of inaccurate statements by the Chinese side.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website stated: “Ishiba asked Wang Yi to convey sincere greetings to Chinese leaders, mentioning that in November last year, he and President Xi Jinping reached important consensus on advancing comprehensive, mutually beneficial, and stable Japan-China relations, leading to new achievements in cooperation in various fields between the two countries.”

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website further remarked: “The Japanese side fully recognizes the significance of the four political documents between Japan and China, respects China’s stated positions, and is willing to enhance communication and cooperation with China, promoting the advancement of bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries’ peoples.”

Responding to the statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding “respecting China’s stated positions,” Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that “Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba did not make such remarks.” The Ministry expressed regret over the actions of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and lodged a protest with China.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that during the meeting, Ishiba discussed the situation in the East China Sea, ensuring the security of Japanese expatriates in China, and expressed hope for China to lift its ban on importing Japanese seafood promptly.

Despite Japan’s request for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately delete the inaccurate content, as of the evening of the 22nd, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website had not removed the disputed statements.

In fact, this is not the first time that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has unilaterally altered the content of conversations with foreign dignitaries to align with its own views.

In a meeting between Wang Yi and then Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in Laos on July 26, 2024, concerning Taiwan-related issues, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website published the dialogue, claiming that Kamikawa stated, “The Japanese side maintains the One China policy without any changes.” However, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “these contents differ from Kamikawa’s remarks and the views of the Japanese government,” emphasizing the lack of accuracy on the Chinese side.