December 3, 2025 | 06:51 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Fu Cong has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemning Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s stance on Taiwan, Kyodo News reported on Monday, December 1.
China Accuses Japan of Provocation
Fu urged Takaichi to withdraw what Beijing considers provocative remarks. The letter marks his second complaint to the UN chief, following a similar submission on November 21.
Amid the escalating diplomatic dispute, Fu also rejected the justification presented by Japan’s UN Ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki on November 24, accusing Tokyo of making “unreasonable arguments.”
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted by China Daily, further criticized Japan for failing to fully acknowledge its militaristic past and called for heightened recognition of wartime atrocities committed by the former Imperial Japanese Army.
Controversy Rooted in Takaichi’s Taiwan Comments
The diplomatic spat stems from Takaichi’s statement in Japan’s parliament on November 7. Responding to opposition questions, she said a Chinese attack on Taiwan would pose a direct security threat to Japan and could trigger a military response.
China viewed the comments as a significant shift in Japan’s position on Taiwan. “The international community must remain highly vigilant against Japan's ambitions to expand its military capabilities and revive militarism,” Fu wrote in his letter.
Tokyo Rejects Beijing’s Claims
In Tokyo on Tuesday, December 2, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara dismissed the accusations during a press briefing.
“China’s allegations are completely untrue and totally unacceptable,” he said, emphasizing that Japan has contributed to global peace and prosperity since World War II.
Ambassador Yamazaki also reaffirmed Japan’s long-held stance on Taiwan in his earlier response to the UN. He stressed that Japan’s defense policy is strictly defensive and that its position on Taiwan has remained unchanged since normalizing diplomatic relations with China in 1972. He reiterated Japan’s hope that cross-strait tensions will be resolved peacefully through dialogue.
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