Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry Photo: cnsphoto

Some politicians in Japan are openly colluding with Taiwan secessionists and pointing fingers at the Taiwan question, which China is firmly opposed to and strongly dissatisfied with, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, noting that China has lodged solemn representations with Japan after former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen spoke on Tuesday.

"Taiwan is China's business, not Japan's," Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the ministry, said at a press conference on Wednesday after Abe tweeted that he and Tsai exchanged views on relations, and that both expressed their "objection to any attempt to change the status quo." However, he did not specify whether he was referring specifically to the situation across the Taiwan Straits.

According to the Japan Times, Tsai said during the virtual talk that Russia's military activities in Ukraine "were not without implications" for the Taiwan region. Tsai was also receptive when Abe indicated his desire to visit the island, media reported. 

In response, Wang said Japan's colonial rule over the island of Taiwan lasted half a century, committing enormous and indescribable crimes on the island. 

China is firmly opposed to any form of official exchanges between the Taiwan region and countries that have diplomatic relations with China, Wang said, noting that China is also against Taiwan region's accession to any agreement or organization of official nature.

Wang pointed out that there is an essential difference between the Taiwan question and the Ukraine issue, noting they are not comparable.

He warned some people in Japan who have tried to draw parallels between the Taiwan island and Ukraine or encouraged a breakthrough in Japan's relations with the island, saying "This is dangerous and futile."

China solemnly urges Japan and individual Japanese politicians to deeply reflect on history, and earnestly abide by the principles of the four political documents between China and Japan and Japan's commitments, refrain from any official exchanges with the Taiwan authorities, stop supporting Taiwan secessionists, and be cautious in words and deeds on the Taiwan question, and stop provoking trouble, Wang stressed.

China also noted that since the Ukraine crisis, the authority of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on the island of Taiwan has taken the opportunity to manipulate the topic, fool the local people and promote secession, which is futile.

"No matter what tricks the DPP plays, they cannot change the fact that Taiwan is part of China, nor stop the general trend of the national reunification," Wang said.



Global Times