Overview
- China’s vice foreign minister Sun Weidong summoned Japan’s ambassador and labeled Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Taiwan comments provocative and extremely dangerous, warning Tokyo would bear the consequences.
- PLA spokesperson Jiang Bin warned Japan would suffer a crushing defeat if it used force over Taiwan and reiterated Beijing’s stance that the issue is an internal matter.
- Beijing protested a newly approved U.S. sale of aircraft parts to Taiwan worth about $330 million, with Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua calling it a harmful signal to separatists.
- Japan’s ruling LDP policy chief Takayuki Kobayashi said the government will continue talks with Beijing to restore a constructive and stable relationship.
- Tensions were further inflamed by a deleted social-media threat against the Japanese prime minister from China’s consul in Osaka, and Chinese authorities advised citizens to avoid travel to Japan, according to Japanese reports.