Japan urged to explain its Taiwan stance

China called on Tokyo on Wednesday to provide an accurate, honest and full explanation of its "consistent position" on Taiwan, warning that invoking vague concepts to avoid addressing the substance or attempting to muddle through would not be accepted.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government adopted a statement at a Cabinet meeting saying that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks in parliament do not change Japan's consistent position.

Earlier this month, Takaichi indicated that a Taiwan contingency involving the use of military vessels and military force from the Chinese mainland could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and that the country's Self-Defense Forces could exercise the right of collective self-defense.

The Cabinet statement said that the determination would be made by considering all available information based on the specific situation. "The government fully maintains its position, and we do not believe a review or reconsideration is necessary," it said.

At a daily news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning criticized the statement, saying that Japan's repeated reference to its "consistent" or "unchanged" position on Taiwan is "hardly adequate".

"What China and the international community want are answers to these questions: What exactly does the Japanese side mean by what they call 'consistent position'? Does the Japanese side still follow the one-China principle?" Mao said.

"Soft-pedaling the issue, putting out unspecified notions without touching on the essence of the issue, and hoping that somehow the issue would resolve itself — such kind of approach will certainly not go anywhere," she added.

Beijing considers Takaichi's remarks as a serious violation of the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, eroding the political foundation of bilateral relations and challenging the postwar international order.

The prime minister's comments have also been widely questioned and criticized within Japan and have met with condemnation from the international community.

The statement on Tuesday from the Japanese Cabinet meeting also underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for Japan's security and global stability, a claim that Mao dismissed as lacking any genuine reflection, saying Tokyo had once again made irresponsible comments on Taiwan and interfered in China's internal affairs.

Mao emphasized that Taiwan is part of China, saying, "How to resolve the Taiwan question and realize national reunification is purely China's own affair and not for Japan to point fingers or even meddle in."

Xiang Haoyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, said that since the current difficulties were caused by Japan, Tokyo must retract its erroneous statements and take real action to undo its negative impact, if it hopes to restore exchanges and advance the strategic and mutually beneficial relationship.

"Japan's repeated claims that its government position remains unchanged indicate that it has recognized the seriousness of the situation and is trying to defuse tensions. However, its continued avoidance of China's legitimate concerns reflects the persistence of 'using Taiwan to contain China' among certain political forces in Japan," Xiang said.

"Without fundamentally correcting its mistaken approach or giving a direct response to China's serious demands, Tokyo will not help resolve the current situation. If Japan introduces new negative moves or provocative remarks, China will respond accordingly," he added.

In another development, following the Foreign Ministry's recent advisory urging Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan amid worsening safety conditions, Beijing expressed renewed concern over crimes targeting Chinese nationals in Japan.

Mao noted that last week, Japanese police arrested five people suspected of attacking Chinese nationals. She also pointed to a lot of extreme and threatening anti-China remarks online in Japan.

The Chinese embassy and consulates in Japan have recently been repeatedly harassed, both online and offline, by right-wing provocateurs, she added.

"We urge the Japanese side to take China's concerns seriously, and make concrete efforts to ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals and institutions in Japan," she said.

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn