China has adopted its strongest tone yet against Japan, escalating their growing dispute to the United Nations. Beijing accuses Tokyo of threatening “armed intervention” regarding Taiwan and vows to defend itself.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Chinese Ambassador to the UN, Fu Cong, stated that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had committed a “grave violation of international law and diplomatic norms.” This refers to Takaichi’s recent statement suggesting a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.
According to a statement from the Chinese mission to the UN, Fu’s letter emphasized that “if Japan dares to attempt armed intervention in the situation across the Taiwan Strait, it will be considered an act of aggression. China will resolutely exercise its right to self-defense under the UN Charter and international law and will firmly defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Prime Minister Takaichi, who assumed office last month, seemingly abandoned the long-held policy of ambiguity maintained by both Tokyo and Washington regarding Taiwan. Two weeks ago, she stated that a Chinese attack on Taiwan, located just over 100 kilometers from Japanese territory, could be considered “a situation threatening Japan’s survival.” This legal designation allows the Japanese Prime Minister to deploy the military.
Takaichi’s declaration has sparked a diplomatic row with China in recent days. Beijing stated that it has “severely damaged” trade cooperation, and performances by Japanese musicians in China have been abruptly canceled. Beijing has demanded that the Japanese Prime Minister “stop provocations and overstepping boundaries” and “retract her erroneous statements,” considering them a “blatant challenge to China’s core interests.”
While China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control, the Taiwanese government rejects Beijing’s claims. It maintains that the people of Taiwan alone have the right to determine their future.
