Japan PM’s remarks sent wrong signal to ‘Taiwan separatists’: China

BEIJING: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan have sent a severely wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, Beijing said on Friday, as reported by Chinese state media.

After Takaichi suggested that Tokyo could deploy military forces in the hypothetical event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, Beijing has increased diplomatic and economic pressure on Japan, seeking to force the Japanese Prime Minister to retract her November 7 remarks in Parliament.

“Japan imposed colonial rule on the island of Taiwan for half a century, committing countless heinous crimes. The DPP authorities’ act of “currying favour with Japan to seek independence” is despicable,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was cited as saying by the Global Times on Friday in reference to the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan interfered in China’s internal affairs, sent a seriously wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, and endangered peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, the Chinese news outlet cited the foreign ministry spokesperson as saying.

Chinese Embassy in Japan, meanwhile, has issued a fresh travel warning for Japan claiming the Japanese security environment has deteriorated. The second alert was issued on Wednesday night after an initial warning on November 14, Kyodo News reported.

Beijing had on November 16 also urged its citizens to reconsider studying in Japan, citing safety risks. China also has suspended the resumption of Japanese seafood imports.

Meanwhile, the Japanese news outlet reported yesterday, citing a government source that Takaichi and US President Donald Trump, during their phone call earlier this week, had discussed cooperation to calm tensions between Japan and China over her remarks on Taiwan. Kyodo cited the Wall Street Journal, which first reported that Trump had asked Takaichi not to aggravate the dispute with China.

In an editorial published by the Communist Party in China Daily on Thursday, the United States was urged to rein in Japan to prevent “actions to revive militarism”.

Following the escalating diplomatic row, Takaichi said on Wednesday it is her “responsibility” to maximize Japan’s interests by building good relations with China through dialogue.

China also took its feud with Tokyo over Japanese Prime Minister’s remarks on Taiwan to the United Nations.

“If Japan dares to attempt an armed intervention in the cross-Strait situation, it would be an act of aggression,” China’s permanent representative to the UN, Fu Cong, wrote in a letter to the global body’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, referring to the strait that separates mainland China from self-governing Taiwan, which Beijing insists belongs to China. Beijing has not ruled out the possibility of forcibly taking Taiwan.

China’s Foreign Ministry said that in his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said that he understands the importance of the Taiwan issue . After their talks on phone, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China and the United States should keep up the momentum in ties, and keep moving forward in the right direction on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit, Xinhua reported. (ANI)