China Foreign Min. Wang Criticizes Japan

Beijing, Nov. 23 (Jiji Press)–Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has strongly criticized Japan, following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks over a potential Taiwan contingency, China’s Foreign Ministry said. At a meeting Saturday with Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin in Dushanbe, the capital of the Central Asian country, Wang said China will never allow Japanese right-wing forces to reverse history, never allow external forces to interfere in China’s Taiwan region and never allow Japanese militarism to resurface, according to the ministry. Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee, thus showed Beijing stance on the Taiwan issue, which is the “core of the core interests” for the administration of President Xi Jinping. The Tajik minister expressed support for China’s strict position on the Taiwan issue, the ministry said. It is believed to be the first time that Wang has mentioned Japan in a public setting since Takaichi’s remarks in question. The new Japanese leader, who took office in October, said at a parliamentary meeting Nov. 7 that China’s possible use of force against Taiwan could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, in which the country can exercise its right to collective self-defense. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province and aims to unite the self-ruled island with its mainland. According to the Chinese ministry’s announcement Sunday, Wang told reporters after his Central Asian tour that Japan’s current leader shockingly sent wrong signals and crossed the red line, apparently referring to Takaichi’s remarks. He also said that China must resolutely counterattack. Since Takaichi made the remarks, China has been stepping up its campaign to discredit Japan internationally. As part of the efforts, a senior Chinese diplomat sent U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres a letter stipulating that Takaichi should withdraw the remarks. But China’s claim has failed to gain broad-based backing, with only a few countries friendly to Beijing, including Russia, indicating support for its argument. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]