TOKYO, December 2. /TASS/. A cross-party group of Japanese lawmakers advocating for friendly ties with China has met with Chinese Ambassador to Tokyo Wu Jianghao against the backdrop of a sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries, the Kyodo news agency reported.
The lawmakers, including the secretary-general of this cross-party group and member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Yuko Obuchi, reportedly informed the Chinese ambassador that they would like to visit China by the end of the year to emphasize the importance of parliamentary exchanges between the two countries for reducing tensions. Dialogue through this channel is considered an informal line of communication between Tokyo and Beijing.
During the meeting, the parties discussed, in particular, statements by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan, which became the cause of the worsening relations. The Chinese ambassador, in response, explained the PRC’s position. The Japanese side had initially proposed organizing a trip to China back in late October, following Takaichi’s inauguration, but has not yet received a clear response.
Friction between Beijing and Tokyo over Taiwan
Earlier, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi noted that his country has not abandoned plans to deploy medium-range missiles at the Self-Defense Forces garrison on Yonaguni Island, located approximately 110 km from Taiwan. This statement came shortly after remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who warned that a potential military crisis around Taipei would pose an "existential threat" that could compel Tokyo to exercise its "right to collective self-defense." Such a stance has prompted sharp dissatisfaction in Beijing and heightened tensions in relations between the two countries.
Taiwan has been administered independently since 1949, when the remnants of the Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled there following their defeat in the Chinese Civil War. Since then, the island has maintained the flag and several other symbols of the former Republic of China, which existed on the mainland before the Communists came to power. Beijing considers Taiwan a province of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), a stance supported by the majority of countries, including Russia.