Beijing’s decision to allow a bigger Japanese business delegation to go to China next month may be cause for some optimism but “hot economics and cold politics” will continue to dominate the strained relationship between the two countries, observers say.
Kyodo news agency reported this week that Beijing had agreed to allow the Japanese Business Federation – the country’s most influential business lobby, also known as Keidanren – to expand its delegation coming to China next month.
The group will increase from five people to around 20 for a trip that could coincide with this year’s Apec summit in Shenzhen in mid-November.
The notice from Beijing came soon after former foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya’s trip to the Chinese capital with a 50-member Japanese trade delegation.