Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Photo: VCG

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday urged the Japanese authorities to strengthen supervision over a certain retired official who has made irresponsible comments on China's Taiwan island, and to cease sending the wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, in response to former Japanese ambassador to China Hideo Tarumi's latest wrong remarks.

Since retiring, the Japanese official has often made irresponsible remarks and engaged in actions that go against professional ethics and integrity, violating Japan's commitment to the one-China principle, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at Friday's regular press briefing.

Lin also slammed Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for seeking to curry favor with Japan. The DPP authorities deliberately engage in political manipulation, ingratiate themselves with Japan and sell Taiwan out in order to seek "Taiwan independence" through soliciting foreign support, Lin said.

According to The Japan News, more than 30 Japanese lawmakers will attend an inauguration ceremony for Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te on May 20.

There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, Lin said.

The spokesperson warned the DPP authorities that collusion with external forces to plot "independence" provocations will never succeed, and those who sell out the national interests will eventually pay the price.

Japan has made clear commitments in the China-Japan Joint Statement signed in 1972, which clearly stipulates that the Japanese government recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, and the Japanese government fully understands and respects the Chinese government's position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and firmly maintains its stand under Article 8 of the Potsdam Proclamation, said Lin.

Article 8 of the Potsdam Proclamation states that the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out. As stated clearly in the Cairo Declaration, all the territories Japan had stolen from China should be restored to China, Lin noted.

Japan has more than once made serious commitments to China on the Taiwan question, including not supporting "two Chinas," "one China, one Taiwan" or "Taiwan independence," and only maintaining people-to-people and region-to-region exchanges with Taiwan island. This is the historical context, and the principles and position that Japan must abide by, said Lin.

China urges Japan to adhere to the spirit of the four political documents between the two countries, and take concrete actions to honor its political commitment to uphold the one-China principle, and not support "Taiwan independence" in any form, thus maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, the spokesperson said.

Global Times