Beijing demands Tokyo withdraw statements on Taiwan and rejects Japanese protests
Beijing insists that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi must retract her statements in order to end the diplomatic dispute over Taiwan. This was stated by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiaqun, commenting on the support Takaichi received from LDP Deputy Chairman Taro Aso.
China believes that the statements of Japanese politicians ignore international law and “provoke” Beijing. According to Guo, the ruling LDP “does not respect fundamental norms” and is trying to revive militarism. Beijing has called on Tokyo to “correct its mistakes and refrain from taking a dangerous path.”
Tensions are rising amid incidents in the sky. Japan has protested against Chinese fighter jets pointing their fire control radars at its aircraft. China rejected the claims, saying that it was the Japanese military that was “flying dangerously close” and conducting reconnaissance.
Beijing filed counter-protests in Tokyo and Beijing and accused Japan of “political manipulation.”
Amid the escalation, Tokyo's readiness to fight back is growing. Expert Artur Kharitonov believes that China's actions against Japan and Taiwan are accelerating Tokyo's abandonment of pacifism and strengthening its defense capabilities. In his opinion, the position of Takaichi and her government — the willingness to defend Taiwan — is seen as a matter of Japan's very existence. This opinion was expressed by Artur Kharitonov, president of the Liberal Democratic League of Ukraine public organization and an expert on East and Southeast Asia, on Radio NV.
Kharitonov emphasises that Japan is one of the countries under direct threat from authoritarian regimes, along with South Korea and Ukraine. He stresses that society is already demonstrating its readiness to defend itself, and that the political will to lift restrictions in the military sphere is growing.
