U.S. President Donald Trump defended Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after Chinese President Xi Jinping criticized her government during a two-day summit in Beijing, multiple Japanese government officials said.

The account of the May 14-15 summit was provided by the U.S. side during a May 15 phone call between Trump and Takaichi, they said.

The exchange in the Chinese capital underscores that Xi has not softened his critical stance toward Tokyo since Takaichi said in the Diet last November that Japan would likely take action if a military contingency emerged in Taiwan.

Beijing has also accused the Takaichi administration of pursuing “new militarism,” claiming Japan’s military buildup has become a security threat.

According to the U.S. account, Xi repeated similar criticisms during the summit. In response, Trump reportedly defended Takaichi, stating that he values her leadership.

Trump personally briefed Takaichi on the summit on his flight back from China.

After the phone call, Takaichi told reporters she had expressed her gratitude to the U.S. president, saying, “He provided tremendous support regarding Japan.”

His apparent defense of Takaichi has been hailed within the Japanese government as a “diplomatic achievement.”

But at a news conference on May 25, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning disputed the reports, saying the account of Trump defending Takaichi was inconsistent with the Chinese side’s understanding of the situation.

DIFFICULT PATH TO DIALOGUE

Despite the tensions, Tokyo is seeking opportunities for dialogue with Beijing.

Takaichi sent a message of condolence to Xi regarding a gas explosion at a coal mine in Changzhi, Shanxi province, and posted on her X account that she was “deeply saddened.”

Contact is also being explored ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit in Shenzhen this November.

On May 22, Japan’s economy minister, Ryosei Akazawa, and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao had a brief, informal chat on the sidelines of the APEC trade ministers’ meeting in Suzhou.

However, a formal bilateral meeting requested by the Japanese side did not take place.

“The Takaichi administration may be tentatively shifting its stance, but unless there is a fundamental resolution, namely a retraction of her Diet statement, the Chinese side will not change its attitude,” a Chinese source said.

However, a senior official at Japan’s Foreign Ministry insisted, “It would be strange for us to be the ones to humble ourselves to improve relations.”

(This article was written by Yuta Ogi and correspondent Nen Satomi.)