According to the Voice of America in Chinese as quoted by a German Chinese language source, Japan's recently elected first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan sparked a heated exchange between China and Japan. On Thursday (Nov. 13), China's Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong summoned Japan's Ambassador to China, Kaneshige Kaneshige, to protest Takaichi's remarks.
Sanae Takaichi said on Friday (November 7) at the Imperial Diet (Japanese Parliament) that if China were to take an attack against Taiwan, it could be considered a "situation that threatens Japan's survival," implying that Tokyo might take military action if a conflict were to break out across the Taiwan Strait.
Previously, Japanese leaders avoided mentioning Taiwan when discussing similar issues in public, in order to maintain the "strategic ambiguity" stance that Tokyo shares with its main security ally, the United States.
Although Takaichi later said she would not make similar statements again, Tokyo called on both sides to work to ease tensions on Tuesday, but several Chinese state media commentaries suggested that the controversy may continue.
On the 13th, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that Takaichi "openly made explicit provocative remarks about Taiwan in the Diet" and questioned whether Japan, on the 80th anniversary of the World Anti-Fascist War, is trying to repeat the mistakes of militarism by bringing up the "existential crisis situation."
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong criticized Takaichi's statement in a news release on the 14th, saying that it "implies possible military intervention in Taiwan issues, which is extremely serious in nature" and is a gross interference in China's internal affairs and a challenge to China's core interests. He said, "If the Japanese side dares to intervene militarily in the Taiwan situation, it will constitute an act of aggression, and China will certainly fight back head-on," and demanded that the Japanese Prime Minister retract the relevant statement.
On Nov. 14, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense responded to Democratic Party's female politician Makiko Tanaka's "Taiwan matters" statement, saying, "If Japan does not deeply learn from historical lessons, dares to take risks, and even intervenes in the Taiwan Strait situation with force, it will be crushed by the iron wall of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and pay a heavy price."
Taiwan video broadcast two days ago:
不甩中國召見大使抗議! 日本政府:對台立場不變
「台有事恐成日存亡危機」 高市強硬：能行集體自衛權
川普現身橫須賀基地！讚高市「真正贏家」 准交付F-35用飛彈
川普預言高市早苗將成「最偉大首相」 直喊：安倍以你為傲！
選第三任？先當副手再繼任總統 川普：太取巧了
美日「黃金時代」協議簽了！校閱小插曲 高市張嘴傻眼
亞州行第二站！川普今上午會晤日本新首相高市早苗
Ignoring China's summoning of the ambassador to protest! Japanese government: stance on Taiwan remains unchanged. "If Taiwan is in trouble, it could be a matter of life and death," Koo said firmly: "We can exercise the right of collective self-defense." Trump appears at Yokosuka Base! Praises Takaichi as the "real winner" and approves F-35 missile delivery.
[Editor's Note: Trump's approval comes at the same time he agreed to a similar F-35 delivery to Saudi-Arabia while denying that Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman had been involved in the murder of Saudi critic Kashoggi in the country's consulate of Istanbul. This war plane delivery is strongly opposed by Israeli sources argueing that Saudi F-35 are "very much looking like F-35 delivered to Israel" (Times of Israel, Nov.18). Therefore: "Deals with the Devil Aren’t What They Used to Be" (The New Yorker, 2024) ]
Trump predicted that Takaichi would become the "greatest prime minister" and said, "[Assassinated predecessor Shinzo Abe] would be proud of you!". Choose the third? First be the vice president then succeed the president, Trump: too cunning.
The "Golden Age" agreement between the US and Japan has been signed! A proofreading mishap left Mayor Chang speechless. Asia trip, stop two! Trump meets with Japan's new prime minister, Takaichi, this morning.
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