A diplomatic clash between China and Japan over recent remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is heating up at the United Nations.
Chinese ambassador Fu Cong has sent a second letter to Secretary General Antonio Guterres, describing Takaichi’s comments over Taiwan as the “greatest challenge” to bilateral ties and urging Tokyo to retract them.
Fu’s message on Monday was issued in response to his Japanese counterpart, Kazuyuki Yamazaki, who last week accused Beijing of “stifling” bilateral engagement. In his own letter to the UN, Yamazaki argued that the Japanese leader’s comments did not go beyond the post-World War II defence posture.
“The greatest challenge at present is that Takaichi’s erroneous words and deeds have severely undermined the mutual trust between China and Japan and damaged the political foundation of China-Japan relations,” Fu wrote in his letter to the UN chief.
“If the Japanese side truly seeks to develop stable China-Japan relations, it should clearly reaffirm the one-China principle … immediately retract the erroneous remarks and take practical steps to honour its commitments to China. Otherwise, the Japanese side should bear all the consequences arising therefrom.”
Beijing has maintained a hardline stance against Tokyo since Takaichi said in parliament on November 7 that an attack on the self-ruled island could be interpreted as a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, which could allow Tokyo to engage in military action alongside US forces.
But even as bilateral tensions have escalated, at least two key organisations in Tokyo have reportedly offered to visit China.
