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Diplomat 'staredown' video released by Chinese media adds fuel to tensions between China and Japan

Published: 19 Nov. 2025, 12:00 Updated: 19 Nov. 2025, 12:05

Liu Jinsong, right, director general of the Department of International Economic Affairs at China’s Foreign Ministry, and Masaaki Kanai, director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at Japan’s Foreign Ministry, meet in Beijing on Nov. 18 as seen in this screen capture from a video uploaded to Yuyuan Tantian the same day. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A video released by Chinese state media showing a senior Chinese diplomat glaring down at his Japanese counterpart circulated widely online on Tuesday and quickly became a flashpoint in already fraught relations between Beijing and Tokyo.

The two countries held director general level talks in Beijing on Tuesday. The meeting came as bilateral relations chilled sharply after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested earlier this month that Japan could intervene if conflict were to break out in the Taiwan Strait.

The roughly 20-second clip began to circulate after the talks. The footage first appeared on Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with Beijing's state-run China Central Television (CCTV).

In the video, Liu Jinsong, director general of the Department of International Economic Affairs at China’s Foreign Ministry, maintains a stern expression as he faces Masaaki Kanai, director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at Japan’s Foreign Ministry. Kanai appears to listen with his head lowered.

The video contains no additional context or explanation.

Japanese Director General of the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Masaaki Kanai, left, and Chinese Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs Liu Jinsong, center, depart after a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Beijing on Nov. 18. [AFP/YONHAP]

During the talks, Liu demanded that Takaichi retract her Taiwan-related remarks immediately, Mao Ning, spokesperson for Beijing's Foreign Ministry, said in a press conference following the talks.

"The Chinese side made it clear that the prime minister’s remarks seriously violate international law and basic norms in international relations, erode the post-WWII international order and go against the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan," Mao said.

"The egregiousness of both the nature and impact of those remarks has triggered strong outrage and condemnation from the Chinese people," she added.

Mao said China "seriously urges Japan to retract Sanae Takaichi’s wrongful remarks, stop making provocations on issues concerning China, take practical steps to admit and correct the wrongdoing, and uphold the political foundation of China-Japan relations."

When a CCTV reporter asked about the outlook for bilateral ties, Mao replied that the "current situation in China-Japan relations is caused by Prime Minister Takaichi’s blatant remarks on Taiwan.”

"Japan must retract its erroneous remarks, repent and change course, offering a clear and satisfactory answer to the Chinese people," she added.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Beijing, China, on Nov. 18. Mao Ning spoke about relations with Japan, among other topics. [EPA/YONHAP]

Japan’s Foreign Ministry said in a press release after the meeting that Kanai strongly protested remarks by the Chinese consul general in Osaka who had made an extreme reference to "cutting the neck off" the prime minister.

Kanai told Liu the comments were “highly inappropriate” and urged Beijing to respond promptly.

Kanai also pushed back against Beijing’s call for Chinese nationals to avoid travel to Japan due to security concerns, saying Japan’s public safety had not deteriorated. He requested that China ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in the country.

The ministry said Liu reiterated China’s views but noted that Kanai countered them and explained Tokyo’s consistent position.

Kyodo News reported that despite the meeting, the divide between the two sides remains wide and tensions could persist. It added that Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi is expected to meet with Wu Jianghao, Chinese ambassador to Japan, "in the near future."

Japanese Director General of the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Masaaki Kanai departs after a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Beijing on Nov. 18. Japan has warned its citizens in China to be careful of their surroundings and to avoid big crowds amid a diplomatic row over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan. [AFP/YONHAP]

Observers in Tokyo said Beijing likely released the footage deliberately to project a diplomatic upper hand.

The Asahi Shimbun wrote that it is "unusual" for CCTV to air a video that seems intended to emphasize diplomatic superiority at the working level.

Several local media outlets framed the clip with headlines like “Japanese official leaves China’s Foreign Ministry with his head bowed,” suggesting Beijing wanted to cast Japan as having come to explain itself.

The Mainichi Shimbun said the broadcast looked like part of a publicity effort signaling that China holds the initiative, adding that Liu’s Zhongshan suit-style attire appeared to carry a nationalist message for domestic audiences. Jiji Press also said the footage suggested Beijing sought to underscore a position of advantage.

A Jiji reporter who was at the scene noted that the two officials paused briefly in the lobby when Liu, with a hand in his pocket, spoke while Kanai inclined his head toward an interpreter beside him — a moment that in the video looked as if Kanai had bowed.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL, BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]