The Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, has urged Japan to "immediately correct" the "erroneous" words and actions of its leaders regarding Taiwan, pointing out this issue as the most immediate priority to channel very deteriorated bilateral relations.
The head of Chinese diplomacy conveyed this message in Beijing during a meeting with the former Japanese Foreign Minister and current president of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT), Takeshi Iwaya.
In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry explained that, in the meeting, Wang warned that the ties between China and Japan are once again going through a "severe situation" that demands a return to normalcy.
Beijing's criticisms come after Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, declared last November that a potential military attack by China against Taiwan would constitute a "crisis" for Japan and that this would justify the intervention of the Self-Defense Forces.
With an eye on the 55th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between both countries, which will be celebrated next year, Wang emphasized that the review of the Japanese position on the island is the priority issue. Additionally, he added the "important task" for Tokyo to adopt an appropriate stance on historical issues and build an "objective and rational" perception of China.
During the meeting, the Chinese delegation insisted on Japan's militaristic past. Wang issued a serious warning by stating that if Japan refuses to learn from history, challenges its 'Peace Constitution' or attempts to rehabilitate war criminals, "it will be unable to face the world" and will face difficulties in securing its future.
According to the Chinese statement, Iwaya admitted that the current situation of the bilateral relationship is "concerning." The Japanese representative committed to working to redirect the ties according to the four political documents signed between both countries, emphasizing that Japan must not forget the historical lessons and must follow the path of "peaceful development."