China and Japan in escalating spat over Taiwan: What to know

China summoned the Japanese ambassador to Beijing over Prime Minister Sanae Takaishi’s comments on Taiwan.

China and Japan are locked in an escalating war of words this week, sparked by Takaishi’s suggestion that Japan could respond forcefully in self-defense if China attacks Taiwan.

The foreign ministries of the two countries have lodged serious protests between them. A Chinese diplomat also made a comment that some interpreted as a threat to behead Takaishi.

The dispute touches on the historical animosity between China and Japan, as well as long-standing “strategic ambiguity” over the sovereignty of self-governing Taiwan.

Here’s what else you need to know about it:

The current tensions erupted during a parliamentary meeting in Japan last Friday, when an opposition lawmaker asked Takaichi what circumstances surrounding Taiwan could be considered a situation threatening Japan’s survival.

Takaishi responded: “If there are battleships and the use of force, no matter how you think about it, it could constitute a survival-threatening situation.”

A “survival-threatening situation” is a legal term under Japan’s 2015 security law, referring to when an armed attack on its allies poses an existential threat to Japan. In such a situation, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces could be activated to respond to the threat.

Takaichi’s comments immediately angered Beijing, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry described them as “outrageous.”

On Saturday, Xue Jian, China’s consul general in the Japanese city of Osaka, reposted a news article about Takaichi’s parliamentary remarks on X. But he also added his own comment that “the filthy head that sticks to itself should be cut off.”

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Minoru Kihara, told reporters on Monday that although the intent of Xue’s comments “may not be clear,” they were “completely inappropriate.”

Tokyo submitted its protest to China regarding Xue’s statements, while Beijing submitted its protest to Japan regarding Takaishi’s statements.

Xue’s post has since been removed — but the dust from the prickly exchanges has yet to settle.

Takaishi on Tuesday refused to retract her comments, which she defended as “consistent with the government’s traditional position.” However, it indicated that it would be cautious about commenting on specific scenarios from now on.

On Thursday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry posted in Japanese and English on its

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong also summoned the Japanese ambassador to China on the same day to express his dissatisfaction.

Sun described Takaishi’s comments as “wrong and extremely dangerous” and called on Japan to withdraw its comments, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. He also warned, “Otherwise, Japan will bear all the consequences.”

Japan’s ambassador made it clear that their position on Taiwan “has not changed” and refuted Beijing’s statements, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters on Friday.

“It is the Japanese government’s consistent position that we hope to reach a peaceful solution to the issues surrounding Taiwan through dialogue,” he said during the daily press conference.

Kihara also added that Japan “strongly urges China to take appropriate action” on Xue’s social media comment.

There is a long-standing enmity between the two countries, which can be traced back to a series of armed conflicts in the 19th century and Japan’s brutal military campaign in China during World War II.

This was pointed out in a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday when it said that “if Japan fails to draw lessons from history and dares to take reckless risks, and even resorts to military intervention in the Taiwan Strait situation, it will inevitably suffer heavy losses and pay a bitter price in the face of the People’s Liberation Army’s iron wall.”

Historical grievances have remained sore points in bilateral relations ever since. But the recent rise of Takaichi, a disciple of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, It indicates that more tensions may lie ahead.

The conservative leader is seeking closer ties with the United States and has pledged to increase Japanese defense spending, which has raised some concern in Beijing.

Takaichi is also known to be a hawk on China and a long-time supporter of Taiwan.

She had previously said that the blockade imposed on the island could threaten Japan, and that Japan could mobilize its forces to stop the Chinese invasion.

China is particularly sensitive to Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as part of its territory. China has not ruled out the use of force to control Taiwan, a position that has worried Taipei and its allies in the region.

Earlier this month, Beijing accused Takaishi of violating the one-China principle, after she published photos of herself meeting with a senior Taiwanese official on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea.

The Japanese Prime Minister’s recent comments represent a departure from the ambiguous position the country has traditionally adopted on Taiwan’s status.

This is consistent with the US’s long-standing policy of “strategic ambiguity”: remaining ambiguous about what it might do to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

For decades, this ambiguity has kept China guessing – a form of deterrence – while leaving room for economic relations to flourish.

The Japanese government’s official position is that it hopes to find a peaceful solution to the Taiwan issue through dialogue – and Japanese officials have traditionally avoided mentioning Taiwan in public discussions of security.

On the occasions when this happened, they were met with a sharp rebuke from Beijing.

In 2021, when then-Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso said Japan would need to defend Taiwan alongside the United States in the event of an invasion, Beijing condemned his remarks and asked Japan to “correct its mistakes.”

In this latest escalation, China’s Foreign Ministry said Takaishi’s comments amounted to “blatant interference in China’s internal affairs.”

“Taiwan is China’s Taiwan,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press conference on Monday, adding that China “will not tolerate any foreign interference” in this matter.

He asked, “What signal is the Japanese leader trying to send to the separatist forces demanding Taiwan independence?” He added. “Is Japan capable of challenging China’s core interests and stopping its reunification?” he asked.