BEIJING: The Chinese embassy in Japan has said that it “resolutely opposed” Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa’s message congratulating Taiwan’s new president-elect Lai Ching-te, local media reported on Sunday.
Japan’s foreign minister Ms Kamikawa has congratulated Mr Lai on his victory after the result of the Taiwan polls announced, Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.
In response, the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, described comments of the FM of Japan as “a serious interference in China’s internal matters”, Chinese embassy’s official social media account stated.
The statement said that they expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this, and have lodged solemn representations with the Japan.
Beijing Opposes Tokyo’s Congratulatory Message to Taiwan President-Elect
Japan, like most nations, does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a precondition for establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing.
But Tokyo’s alliance with Washington, Taiwan’s most important backer, along with recent tensions in its ties with Beijing, have prompted Japan to pursue closer relations with Taipei.
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The Chinese embassy in Japan said that Tokyo should refrain from sending any “wrong signals” to “Taiwan independence” forces.
Earlier, spokesperson of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Chen Binhua, said the victory of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party candidate, William Lai Ching-te, in the recent election would not change the basic landscape of cross-strait relations.
The spokesperson said that the results showed the DPP cannot represent majority public opinion on the island. The spokesperson further said that Taiwan is China’s internal matter.
