China responds to Japanese minister's remark on Taiwan; says it 'harmed' their relations

Terming a statement of a top Japanese minister as ‘dangerous’, China on Tuesday reiterated that it won’t allow any country to interfere in the affairs of Taiwan. Addressing a news conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that nobody should “underestimate” Chinese people’s firm determination to protect their “national sovereignty”. He also asserted that Aso's remarks "harmed the political foundation of China-Japan relations", and China "resolutely opposed" them.

What did the Japanese minister say?

Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, on Tuesday, said that if a major accident happens in Taiwan, Tokyo would interpret it as a ‘situation threatening to Japan’s survival’, he was quoted as saying by Nikkei Asia. Calling for stronger actions, he said that in that case, Japan and the United States “must defend” Taiwan together. A survival-threatening situation refers to a situation where an armed attack against a foreign country that is in a close relationship with Japan occurs, which in turn poses a clear risk of threatening Japan's survival.

Aso further said that such a condition would call for Japan’s right to exercise self-defence or coming to the aid of an ally under attack. "We need to think hard that Okinawa could be the next," Aso said at a fundraising event, as reported by Kyodo news. Asked about Japan's stance on the cross-strait issue at a news conference, the Japanese minister said that any contingency over Taiwan should be resolved through dialogue. "We are closely monitoring the situation," Aso told reporters.

Beijing claims sovereign rights over the pacific island located roughly 100 miles from its coast but Taipei has repeatedly claimed that it was an independent entity. Speaking at the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on July 1, President Xi Jinping vowed for complete reunification of the motherland, fuelling fears of a possible annexation of the pacific island by Beijing. In addendum, Jinping also vowed to "smash" any attempts at formal independence for Taiwan. 

President Xi said: "All sons and daughters of China, including compatriots on both sides of the strait, must work together and move forward in solidarity, and resolutely crush any 'Taiwan independence' plots."

Image: AP