Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met for their first face-to-face talks in a year in San Francisco. The leaders focused on shared economic interests while addressing diplomatic disputes. They specifically discussed China’s ban on Japanese seafood and the case of a Japanese businessman detained in China on suspicion of espionage. Both leaders expressed the need to hold high-level dialogues on economic matters and supported the launch of a framework for discussing export controls. The goal is to reaffirm their strategic relationship of mutual benefit. The leaders’ meeting comes in the wake of an important summit between US President Joe Biden and Xi, where they agreed to open a presidential hotline and resume military-to-military communications. Kishida also met Biden to discuss common challenges regarding China. This move by China to reaffirm relations with Japan could be influenced by its close ties with the US, as it seeks to drive a wedge between Japan and the United States. During the APEC summit, Kishida also held a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, where they discussed deeper cooperation and shared concerns about North Korea’s missile tests. Overall, the leaders’ meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening economic ties and resolving diplomatic disputes between China and Japan.