Japan is seeking to ease tensions with China after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan could trigger a military response.

Japanese official Masaaki Kanai will meet his Chinese counterpart in Beijing to clarify that Takaichi’s remarks do not indicate a change in Japan’s security policy and to urge China to avoid actions that further damage bilateral ties.

The dispute has prompted China to advise its citizens to avoid Japan, a move Tokyo called incompatible with their goal of a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship.

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te described China’s actions as a “multifaceted attack” on Japan and called for international attention and Chinese restraint, Reuters has reported.

The situation coincides with the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, where Takaichi may have the opportunity to speak directly with China’s Premier Li Qiang.