Under the threat of US tariffs, China has strengthened its trade relations with neighboring countries, with China-Japan ties warming. However, in Dalian, Liaoning Province, two Japanese men were reportedly killed by a Chinese national. Local authorities emphasized that the incident stemmed from a business dispute and not the speculated anti-Japanese sentiment.

Reports state that the two Japanese men were killed in May, and the suspect has been detained, claiming that the motive was a business dispute. It took over ten days after the incident for the Dalian Public Security Bureau to announce the case on June 3. The suspect, a 42-year-old man surnamed Yuan, had been living in Japan and allegedly killed the two Japanese nationals in Dalian's Pulandian District on May 23; they were business partners of his in Japan.

The police stated that this case is rooted in a familiar commercial conflict and is not motivated by anti-Japanese sentiment or political reasons. Amid the threats of US tariffs, China is also actively warming its relationships with neighbors, which is reflected in a recent shipping arrangement where 400 new energy vehicles are set to be exported to Japan. This is the first time mainland electric vehicles will be shipped to Osaka, Japan, by sea.

With the rebound in China-Japan trade, BYD plans to launch a new electric microcar in Japan next year, targeting Nissan's popular model, the Sakura, with a price set to be below 610,000 Taiwan dollars. This microcar, part of BYD's Dolphin series, will be the company's first small electric vehicle sold in Japan.