Policy & RegulationAnalysis

Vice Premier He Lifeng Meets Japanese Trade Promotion Delegation in Beijing

Beijing reiterates its welcome for Japanese investment and calls for sustained bilateral commercial cooperation.

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PM of Japan Fumio Kishida meets Premier of China Li Qiang (2024) 04
首相官邸ホームページ via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

The Brief

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met with a visiting delegation from the Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Japan, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 29. During the meeting, He underscored that China and Japan remain vital trade partners and affirmed that China welcomes Japanese enterprises to invest and share market opportunities. The association's newly appointed president, Takeshi Iwaya, expressed the Japanese business community's desire to broaden bilateral exchanges and deepen mutually beneficial economic ties.

Why it matters

Amid shifting regional supply chains and geopolitical complexities, high-level engagements between Beijing and prominent Japanese business organizations signal China's continued commitment to foreign investment openness. The meeting highlights Beijing's intention to maintain economic stability and retain institutional channels with corporate Japan despite broader diplomatic frictions.

China context

As China emphasizes high-quality economic development, stabilizing foreign direct investment and sustaining cross-border manufacturing networks are strategic priorities. Vice Premier He Lifeng oversees key economic, trade, and financial portfolios. Direct engagement between top Chinese economic leadership and new leadership at established Japanese trade groups is intended to reassure foreign companies operating in the domestic market.

Editor's View

EDITOR'S VIEW — Analysis and inference, not factual reporting. The meeting between He Lifeng and the Japanese trade delegation follows established diplomatic choreography, yet its timing highlights Beijing's persistent pragmatic approach to commercial diplomacy with Tokyo. By framing relations around economic interdependence and urging Japanese business groups to maintain a constructive orientation, Chinese leadership aims to compartmentalize commercial partnerships from wider political headwinds. For international observers, Beijing's receptiveness toward traditional pro-trade delegations serves as a benchmark for its broader investment climate strategy.

What to watch

  • Whether the delegation engages in follow-up discussions with the Ministry of Commerce or the National Development and Reform Commission.
  • Shifts in Japanese direct investment trends and business sentiment surveys in China over the coming quarters.
  • Subsequent bilateral trade dialogues and ministerial-level exchanges between China and Japan.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Vice Premier He Lifeng met with the Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Japan, on September 29 in Beijing.
  • 2He affirmed that China consistently welcomes Japanese businesses to invest and share in domestic market opportunities.
  • 3Newly appointed association president Takeshi Iwaya stated that Japanese business circles intend to expand bilateral exchanges and cooperation.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held talks with a visiting delegation from the Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Japan, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 29, state media reported. He, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasized the geographic and commercial closeness of the two nations during the session. Addressing the delegation, He noted that China and Japan are close neighbors separated only by a narrow strip of water and serve as essential economic and trade partners to each other. He reiterated that China consistently welcomes Japanese companies to expand operations in the country and share in the opportunities provided by the Chinese market. In his remarks, Vice Premier He urged the trade promotion body to hold to what he described as the correct historical direction and to carry forward its established tradition of friendship toward China. He expressed hope that the organization would continue to play an active and expanded role in driving forward bilateral trade and economic collaboration. Takeshi Iwaya, the newly appointed president of the Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Japan, represented the Japanese delegation during the talks. According to official reports, Iwaya stated that the Japanese commercial and industrial sector remains willing to sustain and broaden dialogue and exchanges with China. He added that the Japanese business community seeks to contribute actively to the continuous development of bilateral trade relations and the deepening of mutually beneficial economic cooperation. The Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Japan, has historically served as a core non-governmental bridge facilitating commercial interactions between Japanese corporations and Chinese authorities. Official accounts of the meeting did not detail specific sectoral agreements or policy announcements, focusing instead on high-level commitments to dialogue, foreign enterprise participation, and mutual economic stability.