China lodges protest with Tokyo after Japanese lawmaker visits Taiwan

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – Beijing on Monday lodged a protest with Tokyo after a senior Japanese lawmaker visited Taiwan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a news conference that Beijing “firmly opposes the visit and has protested to the Japanese side,” stressing that Taiwan is “a province of China.”

“Let me stress that Japanese Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers’ visit to China’s Taiwan region violates the one-China principle, the four political documents between China and Japan and Japan’s own commitments made to China,” Lin said.

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te hosted Japanese lawmaker Koichi Hagiuda of the LDP on Monday.

The two sides exchanged views on economic and cultural areas, according to a statement by Haguida on US social media company X.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stressed there is “one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory,” urging the Japanese side to “reflect on and correct its wrongdoings, retract Prime Minister Takaichi’s erroneous remarks, and not to interfere in China’s internal affairs.”

“The DPP authorities will not succeed in seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ by ingratiating themselves with Japan. Their disgraceful acts will only lead to a dead end,” Lin said, referring to Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

Tensions between China and Japan have escalated since Nov. 7, when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could legally constitute a “survival-threatening situation,” potentially allowing Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense.

Her remarks triggered massive backlash from Beijing, with China advising against travel to Japan, re-imposing a ban on imports of seafood, among other restrictive measures.