Photo taken on July 21, 2019 from Xiangshan Mountain shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying called an emergency meeting with Japanese Ambassador to China Tarumi Hideo on Wednesday night, lodging solemn representations regarding the wrong remarks made by former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe concerning China.

The extremely erroneous remarks of Abe on the Taiwan question were a brutal interference in China’s internal affairs and challenged China’s sovereignty. His flagrant support to the “Taiwan independence” forces seriously violated the basic norms of international relations and principles stipulated in the four political documents between China and Japan, Hua said. 

In an online speech held on Wednesday, Abe said, “A Taiwan crisis would be a Japan crisis and therefore a crisis for the Japan-US alliance.”

Hua’s emergency meeting with Japanese ambassador came after Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, on the same day expressed dissatisfaction and firm opposition to Abe’s remarks. China has lodged solemn representations through diplomatic channels, Wang said. 

Tarumi Hideo said he attaches great importance to the matter and will report it to the Japanese government immediately.

Hua noted that Japan is a country that launched a war of aggression against China in history and committed heinous crimes against the Chinese people, and Japan is not eligible and has no right to point fingers on the Taiwan question.

Hua urged Japan to deeply reflect on history and draw lessons from it, not to undermine China’s sovereignty, send any wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” forces, or underestimate the strong resolve, determination and capabilities of the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Japan should not go further down the wrong path, otherwise it will face serious consequences, she said.


Global Times