Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe made comments that China saw as supporting Taiwan independence. Photo/REUTERS
Abe previously warned Beijing that any military crisis involving Taipei would draw Japan and its allies; United States of America (USA).
Also read: Shinzo Abe: China attacks Taiwan, Japan-US will not stand still
According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying told Japanese Ambassador Hideo Tarumi late Wednesday (12/1/2021) that Abe bravely supported Taiwan independence in a speech he made the previous day.
Hua said that Abe, who stepped down as prime minister last year citing poor health, had seriously interfered with China’s internal affairs and violated basic norms of international relations.
He urged Tarumi not to underestimate China’s power to defend its sovereignty.
While delivering a video address to an audience in Taiwan, Abe made some of the sharpest comments by a prominent Tokyo politician about tensions in the Taiwan Strait, warning China that a military adventure would be a path to economic suicide.
“Any armed invasion of Taiwan will present a serious threat to Japan,” Abe said.
“The Taiwan crisis will become a Japanese crisis and therefore a crisis for the Japan-US alliance,” he said, saying that Chinese President Xi Jinping should not fail to understand the situation.
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