China hits out at Japan’s Sanae Takaichi for meeting Taiwan’s officials
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Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met Mr Lin Hsin-i (left), Taiwan’s presidential adviser, on Oct 31 and Nov 1, according to posts on social media platform X.
PHOTO: TAIKAICHI_SANAE/X
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BEIJING – China has criticised Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for meeting Taiwan officials on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit and her subsequent social media posts about the discussions.
“Those actions are egregious in nature and impact,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a Nov 2 statement on its website. “China expresses its firm opposition and has made serious demarches and protests to Japan.”
Ms Takaichi met Taiwan’s presidential adviser Lin Hsin-i on Oct 31 and Nov 1, according to posts on social media platform X by the Japanese Premier. A post also said that she looked forward to deepening cooperation between Japan and Taiwan.
The Chinese ministry expressed concern that Ms Takaichi had “deliberately met” the Taiwan region and “hyped it on social media”.
China’s comments follow the first formal meeting between the Japanese Premier and President Xi Jinping
China is Japan’s largest trading partner, while the US provides Tokyo with crucial security guarantees, which forces Japan into an awkward balancing act between the two superpowers.
A number of other issues continue to test ties between Beijing and Tokyo, including China’s increasing military activity around a disputed cluster of islands, trade restrictions, and concerns over maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. BLOOMBERG
