Chinese state media blast Japan PM as Taiwan spat rumbles on

BEIJING: A spat between China and Japan over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Taiwan comments showed no signs of abating on Wednesday (Nov 12) after a series of vitriolic articles in Chinese state media and calls in Tokyo to expel a Chinese diplomat.

Takaichi sparked the furore with remarks in parliament last week that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount to a “survival-threatening situation” and trigger a potential military response from Tokyo.

That drew a formal protest from China and a threatening post from China’s Consul General in Osaka, Xue Jian, aimed at Takaichi, which Tokyo said was “extremely inappropriate” and complained to Beijing about.

While Takaichi has since said she would refrain from making such comments again and Tokyo called for mutual efforts to reduce friction on Tuesday, a brace of editorials in Chinese state media suggest the furore could rumble on.

State broadcaster CCTV said in an editorial late on Tuesday that Takaichi’s remarks were of “extremely malicious nature and impact” and have “crossed the line” with China.

A post on a social media account affiliated with CCTV called Takaichi a “troublemaker”, using the word as a play on the pronunciation of her family name in Chinese.

“Has her head been kicked by a donkey?” the post on the Yuyuan Tantian account challenged.

“If she continues to spew s*** without any boundaries like this, Takaichi might have to pay the price!”

The CCTV editorial also likened Takaichi’s reference to “survival-threatening situations” to Japan’s 1931 invasion of northeast China’s Manchuria.

Japan’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.