China’s Foreign Ministry Demands Japan Retract Taiwan Remarks as Crisis Deepens

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning has issued clear and unequivocal demands that Japan retract what Beijing terms “erroneous remarks” about Taiwan and clarify its commitment to the “One China” principle. Speaking at a regular press briefing, Mao stated that “China’s attitude remains clear” and that Beijing “seriously asks Japan to retract the erroneous remarks and act on its political commitment to China,” signaling no flexibility in China’s position despite the mounting economic costs of the diplomatic standoff.
The remarks in question came from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who characterized potential Chinese military action against Taiwan as a possible “survival-threatening situation” for Japan that could trigger military involvement. While Takaichi has since clarified that she didn’t intend to mention Taiwan specifically and was responding sincerely to hypothetical questions, she has not retracted the substance of her statements, instead maintaining that Japan continues to seek a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship with China.
At the heart of the disagreement lies competing interpretations of the 1972 joint statement that normalized diplomatic relations between the two nations. In that statement, Tokyo did not explicitly agree to the “One China” principle as Beijing formulates it, instead stating that it “fully understands and respects” China’s view that Taiwan is an “inalienable part” of its territory. This carefully crafted language provided useful diplomatic flexibility for decades but has become a source of fundamental conflict.
China has implemented a comprehensive pressure campaign in response to Takaichi’s statements, including travel advisories warning Chinese citizens about alleged safety concerns in Japan. With over 8 million Chinese visitors in the first ten months of this year representing 23% of all arrivals, economist Takahide Kiuchi projects that reduced tourism could cost Japan approximately $11.5 billion and reduce annual economic growth by 0.3 percentage points. Cultural exchanges are also being disrupted, with postponed film releases and cancelled entertainment events.
The diplomatic impasse reflects broader geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region and domestic political constraints in both countries. International relations expert Sheila A. Smith notes that leaders on both sides face pressure not to appear weak before their respective domestic audiences, making compromise difficult. Professor Liu Jiangyong of Tsinghua University indicates that China will continue to implement countermeasures gradually and secretly, suggesting the crisis may persist for an extended period without clear pathways to resolution in the absence of leadership changes or significant diplomatic breakthroughs.