In a fresh diplomatic tiff, the Chinese Foreign Ministry on December 4, 2025, fired back at Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, dismissing her recent remarks on the Taiwan issue as just a repeat of her old position — and calling it straight-up evasive. 😮
At a December 3 upper house session, Takaichi cited the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement and said she "understands and respects" China’s view that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese mainland. But spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters that that's not the full picture — Takaichi was simply rehashing Japan’s basic stance without detailing what the joint statement actually says.
China’s position, Lin stressed, is crystal clear. He urged Japan to reflect, correct its mistakes, and make Takaichi withdraw her "erroneous" remarks. Despite written commitments and repeated calls from both inside Japan and abroad, he added, the Japanese side is still sidestepping the issue by keeping its position unchanged — something China just can't accept.
Lin then went on the offensive: If Japan insists its stance comes from the 1972 joint statement, why not fully quote that document? Why dodge the legal obligations Japan signed up for? China and the wider international community deserve answers, he argued.
So what's next? With tensions simmering, all eyes are on Tokyo and Beijing to see if this diplomatic volley will spark further debate — or if both sides will find a way to cool things down. 🌏🤝
Reference(s):
China rejects Takaichi's 'unchanged position' on Taiwan as evasive
cgtn.com
