China warns Japanese leader to retract erroneous remarks

Japan must bear all consequences arising from its leader's erroneous remarks about Taiwan if it does not immediately correct its mistake, a Chinese mainland spokesman said on Friday.

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, warned, "If Japan dares to intervene militarily in the Taiwan question, we will strike back decisively and crush any such attempt."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently said that if the Chinese mainland uses military vessels and other forces against Taiwan, it would cause a situation threatening Japan's survival, and that Japan's Self-defense Force could exercise the right of collective self-defense in accordance with the law.

Reiterating that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, Chen stressed that Japan and its leader are in no position to make "irresponsible" remarks on the Taiwan question, let alone attempt to use such statements to "threaten or obstruct" China's reunification.

"Japan bears historical guilt toward the Chinese people on the Taiwan question," Chen said, recalling Japan's colonial rule over Taiwan following the First Sino-Japanese War. He noted that the offenses committed by Japanese invaders in Taiwan were countless and represented the darkest chapter in the island's history.

During Japan's 50 years of colonial rule, hundreds of thousands of people in Taiwan were killed; civilians were deprived of political, religious, and cultural freedoms, while the island's mineral resources and essential supplies were ruthlessly plundered, according to Chen.

He condemned the Japanese side for making inappropriate remarks at a time marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and Taiwan's restoration.

"Instead of reflecting on its past crimes and drawing lessons from history, Takaichi had issued blatantly inappropriate remarks about Taiwan with an egregious attitude, attempting to interfere in the situation across the Taiwan Strait, undermine the victory of the Chinese people in the war of resistance, and challenge the postwar international order," Chen said.

He stated that such actions will never be accepted, tolerated, or allowed by the Chinese government and the Chinese people.

Chen reiterated that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair, and no external force has any right to interfere.

"We have the firm will, full confidence, and strong capability to defeat all 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities and any external interference, and to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.