China’s Strong Warning to Japan

Kathmandu — China has urged caution towards Japan, stating that the erroneous remarks made by Japanese leadership on the Taiwan issue directly challenge China’s sovereignty and the post-war international order. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the need to keep eyes open regarding Japan’s recent dangerous trends.

Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made these remarks while speaking at the ‘China in the World’ session at the 62nd Munich Security Conference. He delivered a speech on the occasion and also participated in the question-and-answer session.

Responding to a question about China’s responsibility for the re-escalation of tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, Wang Yi expressed disagreement with the notion that the regional situation is becoming increasingly tense. He stated, “Looking around the world, Asia is the only region where overall peace prevails.” He noted that even recent local conflicts on the Cambodia-Thailand border were quickly pacified through the efforts of all parties, with China playing a role. He expressed China’s commitment to continue playing a constructive role in regional stability as a pillar of peace in Asia and a significant force for global peace.

However, stating that challenges are not absent in the Asia-Pacific, Wang Yi urged caution towards Japan’s recent dangerous trends. He mentioned that the Japanese Prime Minister has publicly claimed that any contingency in the Taiwan Strait would constitute a so-called ‘survival-threatening situation’ for Japan to exercise collective self-defense.

Wang Yi said, “This is the first time in the 80 years since the war that a Japanese Prime Minister has publicly made such an outrageous statement.” He emphasized that such remarks directly challenge China’s national sovereignty, the post-war international order under which Taiwan was returned to China, and the political commitments Japan made to China. Wang Yi stated, “China certainly will not accept this, nor will the 1.4 billion Chinese people!”

Speaking in Germany, Wang Yi compared the post-war treatments of history by Japan and Europe. He said, “Germany has completely eliminated fascism and enacted laws banning the promotion of Nazism. In contrast, Japan still enshrines Class-A war criminals in a shrine, where Japanese politicians frequently go to pay homage and revere them as ‘heroic souls’.” Wang Yi stated that such a phenomenon is unthinkable in Europe and that this is the root of all problems.

Wang Yi emphasized that the erroneous remarks by Japanese leadership on the Taiwan issue reveal that Japan’s ambition to invade and colonize Taiwan has not died, and the ghost of militarism is still alive. He recalled that Japan had invaded China and bombed America’s Pearl Harbor under the pretext of a so-called ‘survival-threatening situation’.

Wang Yi said, “The lessons of history are not far away, and they must be carefully examined. If Japan refuses to repent, it will inevitably repeat the same mistakes, and well-intentioned people must remain vigilant.” He cautioned the Japanese people not to be blinded and coerced again by ultra-rightist forces and extreme ideologies. Wang Yi urged all peace-loving countries to send a warning to Japan: “If it attempts to return to its old path, it will bring about its own destruction, and if it gambles again, it will lose faster and suffer even greater loss!”