Chinese state media blast Japan PM as Taiwan spat rumbles on
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
State broadcaster CCTV said Ms Sanae Takaichi’s remarks were of “extremely malicious nature and impact” and have “crossed the line” with China.
PHOTO: AFP
BEIJING/TOKYO – A spat between China and Japan over Japanese Premier Sanae Takaichi’s Taiwan comments showed no signs of abating on Nov 12 after a series of vitriolic articles in Chinese state media and calls in Tokyo to expel a Chinese diplomat.
Ms Takaichi sparked the furore with remarks in Parliament last week that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount to a “survival-threatening situation” and trigger a potential military response from Tokyo.
That drew a formal protest from China and a threatening post from China’s Consul-General in Osaka, Mr Xue Jian, aimed at Ms Takaichi, which Tokyo said was “extremely inappropriate” and complained to Beijing about.
While Ms Takaichi has since said she would refrain from making such comments again and Tokyo called for mutual efforts to reduce friction on Nov 11, a brace of editorials in Chinese state media suggest the furore could rumble on.
State broadcaster CCTV said in an editorial late on Nov 11 that Ms Takaichi’s remarks were of “extremely malicious nature and impact” and have “crossed the line” with China.
A post on a social media account affiliated with CCTV called Ms Takaichi a “troublemaker”, using the word as a play on the pronunciation of her family name in Chinese.
The CCTV editorial also likened Ms Takaichi’s reference to “survival-threatening situations” with Japan’s 1931 invasion of north-east China’s Manchuria.
Japan’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Calls to expel Chinese diplomat
Japanese leaders have until now avoided mentioning Taiwan when publicly discussing such scenarios, maintaining a strategic ambiguity also favoured by Tokyo’s main security ally, the United States.
Beijing claims Taiwan, and has not ruled out using force to take control of the island which sits just over 110km from Japanese territory. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
Meanwhile some senior political figures in Tokyo have called for Japan to consider expelling the Chinese diplomat Mr Xue, who shared a news article about Ms Takaichi’s remarks on Nov 8 and commented: “the dirty head that sticks itself in must be cut off”.
Mr Takayuki Kobayashi, the ruling party’s policy chief, urged the government on Nov 11 to expel Mr Xue if Beijing showed no effort to resolve the situation.
Prominent opposition lawmaker Kenta Izumi also called for Mr Xue’s quick expulsion. REUTERS
