CHINA has sharply criticised Japan for sending a “wrong signal” regarding Taiwan, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi describing Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks as “shocking” and a crossing of a red line that “must not be touched,” according to an official statement on Sunday.
Wang, the most senior Chinese official to comment publicly on the dispute, accused Takaichi of attempting to involve Japan militarily over Taiwan.
The comments referred to statements she made on November 7 in parliament, suggesting that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could prompt a Japanese military response.
“The letter not only contains rude and unreasonable content but also maliciously distorts historical facts,” Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said in response to China’s appeal to the United Nations.
“Furthermore, it violates Article 2(4) of the U.N. Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force in international relations.”
The diplomatic row, the most serious between China and Japan in years, has extended beyond rhetoric into trade and cultural relations. On Friday, China raised the matter with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, vowing to defend itself.
Speaking from South Africa after attending the G20 summit, Takaichi refrained from directly addressing Wang’s statement or the UN letter, but stressed that Japan remains open to dialogue.
“We are not closing the door. But it's important for Japan to state clearly what needs to be said,” she said. She confirmed she had not spoken with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who was also attending the summit in Johannesburg.
Wang warned that China must “resolutely hit back – not only to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also to defend the hard-won postwar achievements secured with blood and sacrifice.”
He added that if Japan “persists in its wrong course and continues down this path,” all countries and people have the right to “re-examine Japan's historical crimes” and to “resolutely prevent the resurgence of Japanese militarism.”
China remains Japan’s largest export market after the United States, importing around $125 billion of Japanese goods in 2024, primarily industrial equipment, semiconductors and automobiles, according to UN COMTRADE data.
The dispute highlights the fragile balance in East Asia, where Taiwan’s status remains a flashpoint in relations between Beijing, Tokyo and Taipei.
Beijing maintains that Taiwan is Chinese territory and has not ruled out the use of force, while Taipei insists its people alone can determine the island’s future. - November 24, 2025
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