Trade minister Ryosei Akazawa and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao had a brief chat on Friday, the first ministerial-level exchange of words between the two nations since a diplomatic standoff started in November.
Akazawa said he approached Wang at a dinner of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s trade chiefs in Suzhou, China. He declined to say what they discussed when he spoke to reporters on Saturday.
“At the official dinner, as I began walking toward the main table, Minister Wang was sitting there alone,” Akazawa said. “I approached him and had a brief conversation with him.”