Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

What makes Japan, which exercised colonial rule over the island of Taiwan for half a century and committed notorious crimes to the Chinese people, think it is in a position and has the confidence to make such unwarranted remarks on Taiwan island? Chinese Foreign Ministry questioned on Tuesday after Japanese State Minister of Defense Toshiro Ino recently stated that if the Chinese mainland were to use force against Taiwan, Japan would likely "provide some kind of support" to the island.

Given the grave historical responsibilities Japan bears for those crimes, it is all the more important for Japan to act prudently and draw lessons from the history, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at Tuesday's press conference, noting that the island of Taiwan is China's territory. The Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair, which brooks no interference by any external force. 

According to UK media outlet Daily Mail on Sunday, Ino said that he is not sure "whether it is going to be defense equipment support or whether it is going to be logistics support."

The remarks of the incumbent high-level official of Japan's defense department constitute blatant interference in China's internal affairs in disregard of the basic norms governing international relations and the principles set out in the four political documents between China and Japan and have a damaging effect on the political foundation of China-Japan relations, Mao condemned. 

The complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation and an unstoppable historical trend. No one shall underestimate the strong resolve, will and capability of the Chinese people to defend the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Mao stressed.

After former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe absurdly stated "a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency," Japan has been continuously advancing in this dangerous direction. 

Tokyo intends to use the Taiwan question as a card to play, but this will only backfire, experts said. Tokyo often compares the Taiwan question to the Ukraine crisis, but they are fundamentally different matters. 

If it were just a few "political big mouths" talking nonsense, it might bring Japan smaller losses and risks. However, if Tokyo makes the wrong choices, it will undoubtedly pay an unbearable price, experts warned.

Global Times